the First
by off2neverland
Summary: Relia Pierce's world is turned upside down when she discovers she is the first. Now, she doesn't know who she can trust. The man that can fly? The mysterious pirate? Her best friend? The merman? Neverland has changed since she's been gone, not that she remembers it, and a new evil is brewing.
1. the Shadow

**the Shadow**

Finally, the screen goes black. I look over at Luke, he's passed out. Mouth open, double chin, the whole package. His light blonde hair is disheveled, and his tall six foot three frame is curled onto the corner of the couch. He's been my best friend ever since the summer my dad died. We spend so much time together a lot of people assume we're dating. Generally speaking, he's pretty attractive, and could fit into the popular crowd if he wanted to. But, he's as smart as I am, we spend a lot of our nights studying for AP exams. Also, he doesn't have a thing for girls with a few pounds of makeup on their face, unlike most guys at our school. Why is it that I always end up staying awake until the end of the movies _he_ picks out? I dig around for my phone and quickly turn back to him. Turning the flash on, I snap at least three pictures. He's gotten enough bad pictures of me that I don't feel any guilt.

"Luke..." I softly say into his ear. Nothing. I tap his nose. Not even a twitch.

"Luke." I say it a little louder.

I tap his arm. Nothing. What is wrong with him?

"Luke Jackson. You just made me waste my Saturday night suffering through Peter Pan. Get your ass up or I'll get it up for you."

"Relia," he moans, "go away. I'm tired."

"You made me watch a Disney movie at the age of eighteen, and you fell asleep! Wake up."

He punches my arm, "Not eighteen yet!"

"Yeah, yeah." I respond, standing up and stretching.

"What time is it?" he asks.

I glance at the clock on the wall, "Two thirty six in the morning. Ouch."

He sighs, "Can I crash here?"

I smile, "Of course. I'm going to get ready for bed, you stay here."

"I'll text my mom."

I walk out of the room, and into my bedroom. Having the whole basement to myself is awesome. I open my closet and select a tank top and shorts, and walk into my bathroom. I yank my hair into a messy bun, change out of my clothes, and brush my teeth. I walk back into the living room, where Luke has made us a bed on the floor. He's standing at the glass door staring out into the night.

"Are the stars out?" I ask.

He whips around, the look of a child being caught with his hand in the cookie jar crosses his face before he covers it with a grin.

"Ta-da!"

He gestures at the floor, proud of his work. I roll my eyes and walk over to my side, right, as usual. He climbs in on left.

"Not it!" I shout.

"Dammit!"

He uncovers himself, gets up, and walks over to the wall, flicking the lights off. I hear his feet pad over the carpet, and he climbs back into "bed".

"Goodnight." he says.

"Goodnight." I reply.

The room falls silent. I try to fall asleep, and can't. Soon, I hear his breathing even out, and he's asleep. Another positive about Luke? He doesn't snore. I turn onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. I listen to Luke's breathing. I can feel sleep coming, I'm getting tired. A massive bang sounds through the room, loud enough to wake Luke up and send him to me.

"What was that?" he asks, peering into my face.

I'm just as scared as he is, "It sounded like something big smacked into the door."

A look of manic excitement crosses his face and he lets go of me and stands. Walking, more like running, to the wall, he flicks the light switch and whirls towards the window. With the light, the window is illuminated. There's nothing there. He creeps closer, I stay huddled under my blankets. He reaches the window and peers through, and turns back to me, an odd look of disappointment on his face, "There's nothing there."

"Are you sure?" I ask.

He nods, "Yeah, pretty sure. It's all dark out there."

"Will you turn on the porch light?"

"Yeah."

He walks over to the sliding glass door and flicks the switch, and the light outside the door clicks on, washing over the porch. Being able to see what is happening outside is a great comfort.

"Thanks." I smile up at him.

He smiles back, "Let's go back to bed."

"Okay."

He walks back over to the wall and flicks the switch, the lights in the room go dark. The only light left in the room is from the light outside. I roll onto my side and watch the outside through the glass door. I see something move on the far right corner of the glass, and then a shadow suspiciously in the shape of a man passes by the window incredibly fast. I gasp and sit up, Luke doesn't awaken. I'm imagining things. Right?

I get out of our makeshift bed and walk quickly over to the glass door, peering out towards where the shadow went. There's nothing, the vegetable garden is empty and there's nothing in the bushes. Did it go around to the side of the house? I glance back at Luke, he's sound asleep. Taking a deep breath, I unlock the door and slide it open. A gust of summer air blows into the room. I step out into the warm Colorado night and slide the door shut behind me as quietly as I can. My bare feet touch the stone slabs of the bottom deck, and the light breeze lifts my long brown hair from the back of my neck. It's actually a nice evening, not too hot or too cold. There is no noise from Knight, so I assume he's asleep. I tiptoe over the stone onto the rougher rocks on the side of the house. Carefully peering around the corner, I see nothing. Some piles of rocks, but nothing too out of the ordinary. I'm about to turn away and go back inside when I notice a larger pile of rocks in the middle of the hill.

And then it moves.

Oh my god, it's a person! I approach cautiously, ignoring the pain as a few rocks jab my feet. I crouch next to the man, his eyes are closed and he's lying on his back, breathing hard. In the moonlight, I can tell he has chestnut brown hair with light tints of red, and he's tall and muscular. He looks like he's my age, maybe older. He's actually pretty hot…

I place my hand on his arm, "Are you okay?" panic leaks into my voice.

His eyes snap open, a brilliant green, and lock with my light blue ones. He inhales sharply and pulls his arm away from my touch and towards his right side, and then I notice what he's wearing. Nothing like a normal guy would wear, light brown pants and a white top, like someone straight out of the Renaissance. He has black leather boots that reach his mid calf, and his shirt is stained with blood. Lots and lots of blood. I gasp and stare at his shirt, unable to move for a moment. His breathing becomes faster and he grips his side tightly. I take another deep breath and reach down to grasp the hem of his shirt, careful not to touch his wound. I slowly pull it up and over his head, and his wound comes into view.

"Oh my God. You've been shot!"

He then speaks for the first time, even through the pain I can tell his voice is smooth and sweet.

"I'm aware."

"What happened?" I ask curiously.

"Nothing. Hand me that bag, will you?"

Bullshit answer, but I'll let it slide. His voice has become stronger and more defined. He's incredibly handsome. I look over to where he gestured, and notice a small brown sack tied with a weathered piece of white string. I reach over and grab it, it's the size of a tennis ball and feels about the same weight. I can feel small grains of something inside. I turn back to him, placing the bag in his outstretched hand. He undoes the string, and reaches inside to grab the sand. He withdraws a pinch of the sparkling white powder, and sprinkles it onto his injury. The effect is almost immediate. He sighs in relief, and the sand glows a little as it seems to sink into his bullet wound. Before my eyes, the sand heals it to as good as new. All he's left with is a few bloodstains on his stomach.

I am literally about to faint. What the hell is happening?

"Um, here. Let me go get you a new shirt. Wait here, okay?"

He gives me an odd look, "Alright."

I gingerly pick up his bloodstained shirt and walk back over the rocks to the deck. Delicately sliding the glass door open, I walk back into the living room. Luke is still sound asleep. I allow myself to have a small freak out moment. A very hot guy was shot and dying on the side of my house, and a sparkling white sand just healed it? What? I didn't see anyone else in the area, who shot him? Is he a criminal? I tiptoe across the carpet and deposit the ruined shirt onto the coffee table. I continue walking to the guest bedroom, where I cross to the wardrobe on the far wall. I open it and grab one of my grandfather's old shirts, and walk back out into the summer night.

"Okay, here. This should fit." I look up, and nothing is there. He's gone without a trace. There are no bloodstains or remnants of white sand, just rocks. There was no way I imagined all of that!

"Hello?"

Nothing. Just the breeze moving through the trees and bushes. I sigh and turn back to the house, shirt still in hand, and slide open the door. Stepping into the room, I turn and make sure to lock the door behind me. I walk to the guest bedroom and deposit Grandfather's shirt, and walk back to the living room. The man's bloodstained shirt is still on the coffee table. What am I going to do with this? It's still wet with blood. I pick it up and walk back to my room, and slide open my closet. Selecting an empty hanger, I hang the shirt and place it in the back of my closet. With any luck, no one will find it. I walk back out of my closet and slide the door shut behind me. Walking back into the living room, I tiptoe over to the bed. As quietly as possible, I climb under the covers and get comfortable right as Luke wakes up. Thank God. He shifts a little. I can feel his eyes on me. I try as hard as I can to maintain the look of someone dead. He turns away and doesn't move again. I feel like I should do something! Call the police? No. They wouldn't believe me. No one will believe me. I don't think I even believe myself. What is happening?

_**hi! first chapter of the first! hahaha sorry not funny. I hope you enjoyed! if you did, please review, favorite, and follow! see ya next chapter :)**_


	2. Knight in Shining Armor

**Knight in Shining Armor**

I awake to sunlight streaming into the living room, and arms wrapped around me. I cuddle into the warmth, until I realize who it is. It's Luke, and I'm his human teddy bear. Great. Last night's events come crashing back down on me, and I gently wiggle out of his arms. He doesn't wake up. Padding out of the living room and into my bedroom, I walk into my closet and turn on the light. Walking to the back, I slide my clothes aside until I get to the final piece of clothing, the shirt. It's just like it looked last night, but the blood has dried. So it wasn't a dream. I back out of the closet and slide the door shut behind me. I then become aware of the dull pain in my feet. Crossing to my bed, I sit down and pull my left foot up to look at it. There's nothing there. It felt like I was getting cut by the rocks last night, but I guess they weren't deep enough to bleed. I pull up my right foot. Nothing. Why do they hurt, then? Are they bruised and I just can't see it?

I'm not going to tell anyone about last night for now. I sigh and walk back out of my room, my feet starting to ache a little more. Luke is still sound asleep, so I decide to go investigate the side of the house while the sun is shining. I pad over to the glass door, and unlock it. Sliding it open gently, I walk out into the incredibly hot summer day. It's at least ninety degrees out, but there is a light breeze. I walk around to the side of the house and peer around the corner, there's nothing there. I creep a little closer to the spot where he was lying last night. Not one drop of blood, and no sand. If I didn't have the shirt, I would swear I dreamed the whole thing! This is flat out weird. I turn and walk back into the house, where Luke is still sleeping. I grab my pillow and thump him as hard as I can. He wakes up slowly with a stretch and a groan, and smiles sleepily up at me.

"Morning, sunshine."

His voice is still husky with sleep. I roll my eyes and throw my pillow at him, "Good morning."

He laughs and flops back down onto the pillows. I walk to my room and select the day's outfit: a long sleeved plaid button up, tied into a crop top, and white washed short shorts. I walk back out to find Luke looking out the glass door again.

"So," I start, he whirls to look at me, something flashes across his face but it goes too quickly for me to read it.

"Where do you want to go for breakfast?" I ask.

I decide to let it go, he's just looking outside.

"Um," his playful demeanor has returned, "I picked last time, so it's your turn. Choose wisely. It's the last day of our summer."

I grin, "How about O'Brien's?"

"I knew you were going to say that!" he shouts in triumph.

"This is your fault! You decided to take me there the first time. And we need to check up on Knight."

Luke sighs with a smile, "Get showered and we can go then."

He ruffles my hair as he walks past, a spark in his icy blue eyes.

"Yes, Mother." I respond. I walk to my bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind me. I start the water and strip, and hop in. I let the warm water run down my body and wash away last night's strange events. I'm going to try and forget all of it. School is starting tomorrow, there's no reason for beginning my senior year on a bad note. And, my eighteenth birthday is in a few weeks! It's actually during homecoming week, which makes it a little depressing because no one really remembers it, but I'm turning eighteen all the same.

I stop the water and grab a fluffy towel off of the hook. After drying off, I pull on my clothes. Hanging up my towel, I run a brush through my hair, put on some makeup, and brush my teeth. I walk back out of the bathroom and enter the living room, and grab my pair of muck boots from their plastic mat by the door. I turn and find Luke sitting on the couch, tapping on his phone.

"Ready?" I ask.

"Yeah." he replies, without looking up.

I walk up behind him and wrap my arms around his neck, resting my chin on the top of his head. He quickly closes whatever it was he had open, it looked like he had been texting someone. He wriggles out of my loose grip and stands, shooting me an odd grin.

"Let's go." he says, not meeting my eyes.

"Um, okay."

What's up with him? He starts walking to the glass door and I follow, he unlocks it and slides it open. We emerge from the basement, I close the door behind me. We walk out from underneath the top deck and start towards the barn. Knight has already come out to say hello. He's a huge horse, I'm five foot eight so he needs to be kind of big I suppose. He's all black, with dark brown eyes and a white star on his forehead. Knight In Shining Armor is his full name, but it's Knight for short. He whinnies when he sees me, I walk closer and reach up to pull him in for a kiss on the nose. I rub his neck a little before walking to the barn and putting in the code on the lock. I tug and it clicks, and I slide the massive barn door open. I step onto the concrete floor inside the barn, Luke follows me in. Knight comes inside from his outdoor pen, and he gently nudges the bars of his gate. I go to the opposite end of the barn, where his pile of hay is located. I grab a handful and walk back to his stall, I open the feed door and toss the hay through, where it lands inside his food trough. He gratefully starts munching, and I latch the feed door. Luke has taken up a spot on the wall. He enjoys watching me work. He still has that upset look on his face. I almost consider asking what's wrong, but that would be invasive. Right?

I cross to the tack room and open the door, flicking on the lights. I bend down and pick up his grooming bucket, full of brushes, picks and other utensils. I carry it back to Knight's stall, where I open the main door and step inside, closing it behind me. He doesn't flinch, but continues to chow down on his breakfast. I place the bucket on the floor, and select a brush. I clean off the night's dirt as he eats contentedly. Luke is silent, saying nothing as he continues to watch me groom Knight. I stand back to admire my work. Perfect. His stall and outdoor pen are clean, I mucked yesterday. I go outside and check his water trough, it's full. My work here is done! After breakfast I'll drop Luke at his house and then I'll give Knight a little exercise. As if he knows I'm thinking of him, he comes walking out of his stall and to me, expecting a little petting. I give in.

"Good boy."

I loop my arm underneath his head, leading him back inside. I grab the grooming bucket and leave him in his stall as I open and close the gate. Luke is right where I left him, staring at the floor. I'm not going to even try to guess what he's thinking. I walk into the tack room and replace his grooming bucket with a halter and lead rope. I put it on him and lead him to the large pasture on the right of the barn. I slide open the massive gate and undo his halter. He's off like a shot, galloping across the pasture as fast as he can. I turn and enter the barn, Luke hasn't moved. I select his treat bowl from off of the shelf, and choose the biggest one I can find. I made these myself, they're a big yummy ball of molasses, oats, and apples. Knight absolutely adores them.

I flick off the light in the tack room and exit, closing the door behind me. I go back to the pasture and enter, Knight is waiting for me. He knows what I have in my hand before I even show it to him. He walks forward eagerly, ears at attention. I smile and present it to him, he greedily takes it from my hand and it's down his throat in two seconds flat. His eyes ask for more but instead, I pull him in for a hug, wrapping my arms around his neck. He bends his head around my shoulders, and we stay like that for a while. I love his hugs. I pull away and kiss the star on his forehead.

"Ready?" Luke asks, coming out of the barn and locking the door behind him.

"Yep." I respond.

I exit the pasture and turn back to Knight.

"Love you!"

He tosses his head in response.

_**hey there! hope you liked it! I know this chapter was super horse related and I promise it won't be that bad for the rest of the book haha. I just had to establish our adorable relationship between Relia and Knight! if you enjoyed, please review, favorite, and follow! much love 3**_


	3. Breakfast

**Breakfast**

Luke leads the way towards the basement and I follow. He slides open the door and we enter, I slide it shut behind me. I replace my muck boots with a pair of black flip flops, and come back into the living room. Without a word he starts walking towards the stairs to the main level, I grab my phone and purse and follow. Something is wrong, and I have no clue as to what it could be. Did I do something? Say something? Does he know about last night? But why would he be upset about that? If anything, he would be concerned. We reach the top of the stairs and are greeted with the smell of cleaning solution. Right, it's a Sunday. Mom cleans on Sundays.

"Morning, Ms. Pierce." Luke says, a smile plastered onto his face.

My mom smiles back at him, "Morning, Luke! How'd you guys sleep?"

"Fine, thanks." I mumble, not in the best of moods.

Her kind eyes lock on mine for a moment, and then go back to Luke. My mom and I look exactly alike: blue eyes, kind of like the sea on a sunny day, and light brown hair.

"Off to breakfast, then?" she asks.

"Yep, O'Brien's." Luke responds.

"Yum! Have fun." Mom smiles and turns back to scrubbing the kitchen countertop, and we turn to leave. His happy facade is dropped, he simply walks by and goes to the front door, which he opens for me.

"Thanks." I say.

"Sure." he responds, there's something in his voice I can't place. He sounds annoyed.

I go out the door and through the grass, I hear the front door close behind me. Fishing in my purse for my keys, I find them and unlock my white Ford F150. I only bought the big truck to pull Knight's trailer, but I soon fell in love with it. I climb in on the driver's side, and Luke gets in on the passenger's side. I start the car and I pull out of the driveway, I'm planning on confronting him. We pull out of my neighborhood in an incredibly awkward silence. Finally, I snap.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I ask angrily.

I keep my eyes on the road, but I feel his burn into me.

"What do you mean?" he replies, his voice a condescending, infuriating calm.

"Cut the crap. I keep watching you stare out of windows, you won't let me see who you're texting, and you're acting like you hate me. Is something wrong?"

"No, there's nothing wrong."

His tone says otherwise. It doesn't feel like he's mad at me, almost like he's mad at someone else. My instincts are almost always spot-on with him.

"But you would tell me, right? You're my best friend, Luke. We're supposed to tell each other everything."

"I would tell you if there was something to tell. But, there isn't. So let's drop it."

Those last few words are infused with malice. He's definitely upset about something, but he's not talking.

"Fine."

The road soon leads us down a hill and into the trees, we drive in silence. It seems we are all alone as we drive down the deserted road, surrounded by beautiful pine trees that stretch to the clear blue sky. I wind through the twists and turns, and we emerge on the other side. Driving past horse ranches and other large properties, I glance at Luke. He's staring out the window, not that I'm surprised, looking up at the fluffy, white clouds. We've had little fights before, but at least five minutes after one we would be honest about what felt wrong and we would move on with our lives. So right now, I'm just waiting for Luke's explanation. Which is clearly not coming any time soon. I'm not going to push him, he'll tell me what's up when he wants to. We pull into the parking lot of O'Brien's, empty as always. O'Brien's is the literal definition of "hole in the wall", it shares a parking lot with a gas station, and the building is run down enough to be called abandoned. On the inside, however, the diner screams cozy. It only has about twenty tables, most for groups of four. An older couple sits in the back by a window, and a husband, wife, and two young children occupy a table in the middle. The woman at the counter turns when she hears the sound of the old bell. Her face lights up in a smile.

"Relia! Sit wherever you want, I'll be there in a few."

"Okay!" I grin and lead Luke to my favorite table, tucked back in the corner of the restaurant.

As soon as we sit down, Ms. Jackson comes to us with two menus. She sets them in front of us.

"Can I start you off with something to drink?"

I smile up at her, "Could I do a chai tea, please?"

She nods and turns to look at her son.

"I'll do a shot of espresso."

She gives him an odd look, but smiles, "I'll have that right out and I'll be back for your order."

"Thanks, Ms. Jackson."

It looks like Luke's mom and I are on the same page. Since when does Luke drink straight shots of espresso? He says nothing. I decide to let him break the silence, and choose to stare at the menu. At that moment, I see movement out of the corner of my eye. I look up to see that an incredibly nice car has pulled into the parking lot. It's not the type you would see at a diner in the middle of no where. It's more like a car you would find in the garage of a house in Beverley Hills. A man steps out of the car, his chestnut brown hair shines in the sun. He's dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt, nothing like what he was wearing last night, but he still looks sharp. He steps inside and the bell rings, drawing Luke's attention from his lap. The man pulls off his aviators to reveal the stunningly green eyes that found mine on the side of my house last night, as he lay dying.

_**hi! sorry this chapter is so short, the next ones will be better I promise. hope you enjoyed! if you did, please review, favorite, and follow :)**_


	4. a Second Encounter

**a Second Encounter**

Our eyes lock, and he smiles at me. He actually has the nerve to smile. A million questions explode into my head. Why did you leave? Why were you shot? How did you heal a _bullet wound_ with sparkly sand?

Ms. Jackson emerges from behind the counter, our drinks on the tray in her hand.

"I'll be right with you!" she says, smiling at him as she walks by.

His voice fills the empty diner, "Thanks."

Luke makes a choking noise as his mom makes her way to us. She sets our drinks down. I can't break my gaze from his. He looks friendly, awed, and suspicious all at the same time. Is that even possible? I guess so, because here it is displayed in the most gorgeous emerald eyes I've ever seen. Rose snaps me out of my reverie.

"Are you ready to order?"

I tear my eyes away from his, and smile up at her, "Um, sure. We're both going to have a cinnamon roll, and could I get a plate of fruit, and a side of scrambled eggs?"

"Of course."

She scribbles down my order, and turns to Luke. I stare down at my menu, not daring to look up at the guy. I can feel his eyes on me.

"I'm going to do the Mexican breakfast burrito, and a side of French toast, please."

She writes down his order and smiles at us, "I'll have that out in a few minutes!"

She grabs our menus and walks away, I watch her go. I can still feel his eyes on me, but I decide to ignore him. She goes into the kitchen, probably to tell the chef our orders, and returns to greet the man. She has this weird look on her face, as if both of them are in on something.

"What can I do for you?"

"I'm hoping to get a loaf of pumpkin bread, actually. My mother loves this place and can't go a day without your bread."

Luke coughs again, I turn to see he's also watching the conversation. He looks excited.

Ms. Jackson smiles, "We have some fresh baked loaves in the back, I'll go check. Give me a minute!"

"Take your time." he responds, a charming grin on his face. I turn away just as he looks back at us. I can again feel his bright eyes on me. I take a sip of my tea and drum my fingers on the table. Luke looks like he's having a stroke. Ms. Jackson returns, with a loaf of pumpkin bread in hand.

"Here you go! That'll be five bucks."

He digs in his jeans for his wallet, and pulls out a twenty, with a piece of paper. He places both in the palm of her hand. She unfolds a note, reading the words, before she looks up at him and nods once. Her expression has sobered.

"Keep the change." he says. Grabbing the loaf of pumpkin bread, he sends one last glance to me and Luke, and exits the diner.

Luke shoots out of the booth and strides towards the door, throwing it open and following the man to his car. I watch through the window as Luke jogs to the man and starts talking at him. I wish I could hear what he's saying, but I can't make it out. The man looks annoyed, and Luke looks he's pleading with him. What is going on? The guy gets in his car, slams the door, and speeds off.

Luke comes back inside as cool as a cucumber, despite the looks he gets from the older couple. He slides back into the booth and resumes the silent treatment towards me.

"What was that?" I ask, trying to keep my voice quiet.

"Nothing of your concern." he responds, and looks away.

This is ridiculous! I'm about to raise my voice a little when Ms. Jackson returns with our cinnamon rolls.

"Here you go. The rest of your meal will be out soon."

I sigh and look away from him, "Thanks."

She flashes a grim smile and walks away. What did that note say? Luke tears into his cinnamon roll, I nibble on mine. I've kind of lost my appetite. But I polish it off, O'Brien's cinnamon rolls are amazing and hard to pass up. Luke's is long gone. At least in the midst of being bipolar he can eat like himself. I trace the patterns on the wooden table, and we sit in silence. Does Luke know that guy? He must, or else he wouldn't have walked up to him. Luke looks just as angry as he did before. I'm so lost right now. I wish he would talk to me! I gulp down the rest of my tea, and set my cup back onto the plate. It warms my throat as it goes down, providing a little bit of comfort. The older couple pays and exits, the bell announces their departure. Ms. Jackson enters just in time to wish them a nice day, and she deposits our food on the table. She picks up our cinnamon roll plates, my cup, and smiles at me.

"Can I get you anything else today?"

"I think we're good. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

She turns and walks away, and I dig in to my scrambled eggs. Luke munches down on his breakfast burrito, and before I know it he's moved on to his French toast. I finish my eggs and turn to the fruit, stabbing each piece with a vengeance and popping it into my mouth.

_Stab._

_Chew._

_Swallow._

_Stab._

_Chew._

_Swallow._

I flag down Ms. Jackson and she brings our check. Luke snatches it before I can even reach out, looks like he's paying for this one. He stuffs a few bills inside and stands.

"Ready?"

"Sure."

We walk to the front of the diner, where his mom is waiting.

"Have a good day, guys."

"You too!" I respond, a smile plastered on my face.

Luke opens the door and holds it for me.

"Thanks." I say.

This time, he says nothing. It looks like that encounter made his mood worse. I dig inside my purse for my keys, and I unlock the truck. Climbing inside, Luke follows suit and I start it up. I back out of the spot and pull onto the main road. I mentally prepare myself for another long drive in silence. Great. I cruise back the way we came, a little faster than I should be going. I glance at him, he's staring out the window again. What is going on? This is incredibly unusual behavior for him. I'm not going to say anything. I'm going to leave him alone. I need to focus on going into senior year with a smile, not focusing on Luke. If he wants to be weird then so be it, but he can't drag me down with him. I reset my posture and lift my head. With my promise to myself I feel a little better. I'm going to go home and do Knight's obstacle course, he always helps to improve my mood. I whip past the turn to my house, and cruise down the main street of our town. Luke shifts in his seat, he knows I'm taking him home. I'd rather not hang out with him today. Pulling into his driveway, I unlock the doors and sit back, I'm not going to say anything. We sit in silence for a second, and he speaks.

His voice sounds sad and apologetic, "It's not you that I'm mad at."

He gets out of the car and shuts the door before I even have a chance to respond. He yanks his front door open and steps inside without a backwards glance. I sit in stunned silence for a second before I lock the doors and pull out of his driveway.

The drive home is short, we only live ten minutes from his house, but it goes by even faster. I can't wrap my head around what could be going on with him. First it was staring out the windows, then he wouldn't let me see who he was texting, and then he runs right up to the guy who lay dying on the side of my house last night as if he knows him! Life has suddenly gotten incredibly weird. I'm not going to tell anyone what's going on yet, as much as I want to. No one would believe this! I pull into the driveway of the house and shut off my car, walking inside.

Mom is sitting in her office, typing away. The framed photo of her, Dad, and me sits next to her computer. My dad passed away two years ago. He was the CEO of Pierce Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corporation. That meant that whenever a reactor leaked or malfunctioned, he was there until it was fixed. Not because he had to, because it was his choice. That company was like his second child! He devoted most of his time to work, when he wasn't working he was spending time with us. Once, when he had to go in during a reactor malfunction, it exploded. Thankfully the reactors were small enough and well contained, so no radiation harmed anyone outside of the plant. Leave it to my dad to think of that. It killed him and a few others, and nothing like that has happened since. Apparently, they never found his body, so it's assumed he was blown to bits. So, Selene Pierce, my mother, took over his company, and that's how it has been since. Now, she only gets weekends off from her busy schedule, not that she takes them. I tap on her door and enter the room, wrapping my arms around her as she sits in her chair.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" she asks without looking up.

"I'm going to work with Knight for a while, then I'm going to go get my nails done for tomorrow."

She laughs, "Have fun. I'm going to continue my Sunday cleaning."

"Okay. Love you."

"Love you, too."

I walk out of her office and to the kitchen. Grabbing an apple out of the fridge, I close it and move out of the kitchen. Skipping down the stairs, I dart into my closet. I change out of my flip flops and into basic boots, and exit the basement. Knight sees me as soon as I emerge, greeting me with a whinny. I give him the apple as I walk by, tapping the code into the lock and sliding the barn door open. I walk into the tack room and grab a halter, a lunge rope, a short whip, and a pile of small treats that I slip into my pocket. I exit the barn and go to Knight, who has already finished his apple. I put on his halter, attach the lunge rope, and lead him out of the pasture. We pass the barn and enter the round pen, and I take up my position in the center. I gently tap him with my whip, sending him to the edge of the pen. I adjust the rope and shake my whip at him to get him moving. He breaks into a canter, going in circles around me. I love this exercise, it reinforces our bond together. After I'm satisfied with his work, I drop the rope and whip and walk to the edge of the round pen with my back to him. He stops cantering. I expect to hear him come up behind me, as usual, but he doesn't. I wait. This exercise is about letting the horse come up to you, not the other way around. Nothing. He's usually pretty good at this! He needs to be so we can compete in agility and those obstacle courses. This is our warm up before we do any course, he knows to follow me. Where is he? He's never done this before.

I grow more impatient by the second, I've been told I have a short temper. Finally, I snap. I whirl to see where the hell Knight is. He's all the way on the other side of the pen. And he's not alone.

_**hope you liked it! ooooooo who is Knight with? you'll find out... thanks for reading! please review, favorite, and follow! **_**_bye!_**


	5. Apology

**Apology**

Knight is on the offensive, looking at the man, no, the model, as if he's going to kill him with his eyes. This guy is drop dead gorgeous! He has jet black hair and eyes like an ocean during a storm: deep blue. He is tall, and very muscular. He's dressed like a swashbuckler, kind of like the guy from last night. Dressed in a black leather jacket, a white shirt, black pants, and mid-calf black leather boots, he might be even more attractive then last night's guest. But on a more serious note, I'm not looking forward to another thing to think about right before my first day in my last year of high school! Apparently Knight feels the same way. The big, black horse takes a step forward. His ears are pointed back and his head is lowered, prepared to strike. He's not usually this hostile.

I sigh and put my hands on my hips, annoyance seeping into my voice, "Who are you?"

A slight accent, it sounds English, comes with his husky voice as he focuses his blue eyes on me, "Not important, love."

He lounges on the fence railing, taking no notice of Knight. His smirk is like something straight out of a romance movie. I am so not in the mood to deal with more oddly dressed, very attractive men right now! I walk towards him slowly, his eyes visibly travel my body before he looks back up at me. Was that supposed to be charming? I stop a few feet in front of him and place my hand on Knight's back. We stand in silence, staring at each other. I can literally feel the tension in the air. He breaks it.

"I just wanted to see you for myself." he says.

I glance at Knight, who is still looking like a hardened killer, and back to the man.

"Excuse me?"

He winks and gives me a soft but teasing smile, "I'll see you soon, love."

I say nothing, and he turns and walks to the side of the house. He's gone.

Where did he even come from? What is it with attractive, costumed men and my house? He "just wanted to see me for himself"? What's that supposed to mean?

"Alright, buddy. Let's try this again, huh?"

As soon as the man is out of sight, Knight is back to normal. How odd. I pick up his lead rope and walk to the middle of the pen. Moving my whip in his direction, he gets the hint and starts cantering again. He has the smoothest canter, it feels great to ride him. I really wish I could right now, but the constant throbbing of my feet reminds me why I can't. The dull pain has continued to my toes and the tops of my feet now. Knight continues to circle me, then I drop the whip and rope, and walk to the edge of the pen. A few seconds later, I feel his nose push into my back. That's more like it! I whip around and smother him with love, giving him a treat from my pocket.

"Good boy!" I grin and peck a kiss on his nose.

Now, we see if he'll keep going. I unclip his rope so he can run free, and click my tongue at him. I start to walk away, and sure enough he follows. I feel his presence behind me as I break into a run. Each step causes a light zing of pain up my legs, but I ignore it. I hear his hooves speed up against the sand, and before I know it he's trotting behind me as I run around the pen. I stop abruptly and turn. He stops too, and I give him another treat and a rub on his neck.

"Very good! Let's go."

I pick up his rope and whip from the center, and drape them over the fence for me to grab later. And just like that, I open the gate and walk out. He follows me, without a lead rope. He follows me to his obstacle course arena, which has many different items scattered about. I waste no time in getting to work. I touch his nose with my hand and begin to walk. He keeps his nose pressed against my fingertips as he follows. I start into a light jog, and he picks up a trot behind me. We get to the first obstacle, some ground poles. He trots over them with ease. We continue the trot and arrive at the next obstacle, some steps. He goes up one side and down the other, and we continue. I run faster, and I click my tongue at him to quicken his pace. He responds by breaking into a canter, and we get to some more ground poles. He canters through them and continues forward to the two jumps. The first is low, and the second is higher. I remove his nose from my hand and guide him towards the jumps. He leaps into the air and clears the first jump with a few feet to spare. I move to the end of the second jump to watch him clear it. His powerful legs push him up and over the jump gracefully. He's so pretty. His canter turns into more of a trot as he brings his nose back to my hand and we jog to the final obstacle. I lead him to the first ground pole and we slow to a walk. This obstacle is meant to show off the horse. I lead him through the ground poles slowly in a circle, and we stop at the end. I turn and strike a pose to the invisible audience and hear applause behind me. I whip around to find Luke leaning against the fence.

"Well done!" he smiles at me, back to his usual self. I approach him slowly, Knight follows.

"What do you want?" I ask, not quite trusting him yet.

He suddenly finds his shoes incredibly interesting, "I want to apologize."

That takes me aback, "Why?"

He looks into my eyes again, "I was upset and I took it out on you. I'm sorry."

He looks sincere, it looks like this is the explanation I've been waiting for.

"What were you upset about?"

He shifts, "I'm just dealing with a lot. These next few weeks are going to be tough. Not just on me."

Not just on him? Who else? I lean over and wrap him in a hug. His arms encircle me immediately.

"It'll be okay. I'm here." I say into his shoulder.

"I know."

"Well, I have to go," Luke smiles at me, "I just wanted to come by and make things right."

"See you tomorrow?"

"Most definitely."

He turns and walks away, back along the side of the house. I almost want to tell him everything that's going on, but with the new addition of the second man, things are spiraling out of control. I'll keep it quiet. I'm glad we're okay. That was easier than I thought it would be. I pull my phone from my back pocket, it's only three o'clock. I've worked Knight well enough today, he can graze for a while. I hook my finger through his halter and walk out of the arena. I lead him to the pasture and open the gate for him, he enters and turns back to me. I give him the last treat from my pocket and a kiss on the nose. I remove his halter and back out of the pasture. I hang his halter next to his lead rope on the fence, and go to the round pen. Grabbing his whip and lunge rope, I walk back to the barn. I hang them in their proper places and lock the barn door. Giving him one more kiss on his nose, I walk back to the basement.

I take off my boots and place them on the mat. I plop onto the couch and pull up one of my aching feet to look at it. Nothing too out of the ordinary. They're really hurting now! I rub on them a little, trying to soothe the throbbing pain. Other than the ache, I still have ten toes on each foot, and they're still tan with a small hint of... gray? What? I pull my foot closer to my face.

What the hell. My foot has a light tint of gray to it. It looks dead, like the blood has drained from it. But at the same time, I'm still tan. Okay, I'm really weirded out right now. I hop up from the couch and grab my flip-flops. I go back up the stairs to the main level. Each step sends a slight pain up my ankles. Mom has moved to the living room, where she's vacuuming the carpet. She sees me and shuts the vacuum off.

"What's up?"

"I'm leaving, I can run to the store after if you need anything?"

"Can you grab some pasta and Alfredo sauce? I'm thinking of making some pasta to go with last night's steak."

"Yum. I will. Bye!"

"Bye."

I exit the house and hop into my truck. I cruise out of the neighborhood and onto the highway. The nail salon is only a few minutes away, but the drive seems to take even less than that. Before I know it I'm pulling into the parking lot, and climbing out of my truck. I walk into the nail salon, a little chime announces my entrance. The place is almost empty, an older woman sits in a chair getting a manicure done, and a mother and daughter sit in two massage chairs near the front of the salon. A woman looks up at me with a smile, "What can I do for you today?"

"I'm hoping to get a manicure and a pedicure, please."

"Of course! Right this way."

She leads me to a massage chair in the back corner and hands me a small brochure.

"Browse through this and select which one you would like. Linda will be right with you."

"Thank you."

She walks away. I remove my shoes and sit down. I look through the different pedicure options: Hot Stone, Deep Sea Scrub, and a weird one I can't pronounce. My eyes land on the one that sounds the most appealing: "Soothing Massage". That is just what I need right now. My feet seem to be getting worse by the minute. At that moment, a middle-aged woman appears in front of me.

"Have you decided?"

"Could I do the soothing massage please?"

She smiles, "I'll be right back."

She takes my brochure and walks through a doorway to the back of the salon. Seconds later she returns with a small cart full of different lotions and polishes. Rolling a small stool in front of me, she sits and turns on the water in the tub below me. I dip my feet into the warm, bubbly water, letting it ease the pain.

"What would you like to get?"

"Could I just do a French?"

"Sure."

She falls silent as she begins to work. She rubs some lotion onto my calves and starts to rub them, pressing her fingers into all the right places. She's good at this! I relax back into my chair and let my eyes fall closed. I'm trying so hard to forget everything right now, the color of my hurting feet, Luke, those two guys at my house...

She pulls my feet out of the water and uses a soft towel to dry them off. She begins to rub more lotion into them, my pain dulls. This is very relaxing. She massages for what seems like ages, but I could sit here forever. Finally she stops and gets to work on my pedicure. Rather quickly, she finishes. I glance down to see them perfectly done.

"Thank you! They're perfect." I grin at her.

She smiles back, "Follow me for your manicure."

As soon as I hit the floor the pain in my feet returns, but I choose to ignore it. I'm trying to relax and ignore my problems for a while. She leads me to a chair and I sit. She gets to work clipping my nails and painting them to match my toes. In a matter of minutes she's finished. My nails look perfect, it's just the boost I need going into my senior year. I go to the front to pay, and leave Linda a good tip.

"Thank you!" I call, and exit the salon.

Next stop, grocery store. I walk carefully to my truck and climb in, not wanting to ruin my perfect nails. Starting it up, I loosely grip the steering wheel and pull out. I maneuver out of the parking lot, and proceed back to the house. The highway is packed, it's rush hour. Everyone is coming back from the city, and I'm stuck in the middle of it. Great. I pull my truck to the nearest exit, a two-lane side street that will take me home. I cruise along, admiring the tall grasses that wave in the wind, and the cows in the fields alongside the road. Turning my attention back to the street, I notice a white light ahead of me. It's growing bigger very quickly. It's coming right at my windshield! Is it a bug of some sort? This thing is the size of a tennis ball and growing bigger. I'd rather not have a massive bug on my windshield. Since there isn't any oncoming traffic I lightly swerve off to the other lane, but my tires catch the gravel. My car whips to the side, completely out of my hands now. I hear the screech of rubber and feel my car slide around before stopping, turned in the opposite direction I was coming from. I'm shaking a little. That could have ended badly. What was that thing? I look around through my windows and see no trace of the white bug. Taking a deep breath, I wrap my hands around the steering wheel and pull out into the street in the right direction. I begin the drive home a little faster, eager to get home safely. That thing was the size of a baseball! I've never seen something so big! I sigh and turn on the radio, blasting a song from an Alternative Rock station. I keep it loud to drown out my thoughts. I manage to forget about the white bug by the time I pull into the grocery store.

_**omg tons of new surprises this chapter! I again apologize for the horsiness, that should be the last chapter filled with that stuff. thanks for reading! please review, favorite, and follow! :D**_


	6. Lost Appetite

**Lost Appetite**

The grocery store and drive home are uneventful, I pull into the driveway. My nails are completely dry now, so I'm free to do as I please. It's about five o'clock, Mom will want to start dinner. I grab the two grocery bags from the passenger's seat, and climb out of the car. I lock it and step through the front door. I hear the distant sound of a vacuum upstairs. I walk to the kitchen and place my bags on the counter, and unload them. Alfredo sauce to the fridge, pasta to the cabinet, and apples to the fruit drawer. I go up the stairs and towards her room, where the vacuum's noise is coming from. Turning the corner into her room, I see the vacuum sitting in the middle of the bedroom, on and cleaning, but no one using it.

"Mom?"

Then I hear voices. One that sounds like my mother's, and another that sounds familiar. I can barely hear what she's saying over the sound of the vacuum.

"I'm going back for her, okay? This isn't for the family I left there, or for anyone else. She's my daughter." That's Mom. She's talking about me?

"I understand."

"We need to get her there soon. With Aleksander and the others looking for her, too..." my mother's strong voice becomes sad, "I'm worried about her."

"Don't be." and the man is silent. Mom walks back from the corner of the room to resume vacuuming, and doesn't see me. I duck out of sight and take a huge breath. Were they talking about me? I know my mother was in the beginning, but that next part... Going back where? Who the hell is Aleksander? I sigh and rub my temples, I'm getting a headache. And to top that off, that aching seems to be moving up my legs. I feel it in my calves now. I have no clue what's wrong with me!

I collect myself and walk into her room with a smile plastered on my face, "Hey!"

She looks surprised, but masks it quickly with a smile. She shuts off the vacuum and turns to me, "When did you get home?"

"Just now. I unloaded the stuff and put it in the fridge."

"I'll finish vacuuming and I'll be down to start cooking."

"Sounds good!"

I turn and walk out of the room, and go back downstairs. Flopping onto the couch, I pull out my phone. There's a text message from Savanna, "hey! can't wait to see you tomorrow, meet by the bench? and u r coming to the party no matter what!"

I smile and text back, "of course to both. missed you!"

Austin Roberts throws a party after the first day of school every year. I've never been, but I decided to go this year because it's my senior year, and it's kind of like a pre-birthday party for me. And Austin... Austin is the definition of popular. He just moved here at the end of last year, but he's already the quarterback of the school's varsity football team, easily the most attractive guy in school, student body president, and has an incredibly long line of girls just waiting to hook up with him. And he's chosen me as his next one. It's no secret that he wants to date me, everyone in the school knows. He may be attractive, smart, and athletic, but he knows everyone is into him, and he's let it go to his head. He's not really my type. But at the same time, I sometimes think about dating him. I've been told that he's nice and very doting, he's incredibly rich after all, but I don't want to be like every other girl in the school. Usually, as soon as he hooks up with a girl, he dumps her. Not meanly, but as soon as he gets her he leaves her in the dust. He's a total player. But nevertheless, I'm going to go to his party. I can avoid him and have a good time. It'll be fine.

By the time Mom walks into the room the sun is beginning to set. She places the vacuum in the hall closet and turns to me.

"I'm going to start dinner, okay?"

"Sure."

My phone buzzes with a smiley face from Savanna.

I put my phone down and turn on the TV. It's on a crime show that I'm not exactly interested in, and I quickly zone out. Did the pedicure lady press the wrong places? I bend down to look at my legs, they still look relatively normal. The only thing is that light tinge of gray. It seems to have crept up my legs, but luckily it's only noticeable if you're looking for it. This is weird. It feels like I'm in a dream, and soon I'll wake up next to Luke on the floor of the basement. The two men, my legs, that weird conversation my mother had with a guy who seemingly disappeared through her window? It all seems unreal. I pinch the inside of my elbow, wincing a little. Nothing. I'm still sitting on the couch, listening to the crime show and to Mom cook dinner. If this isn't a dream, I'm incredibly close to cracking my "nothing is wrong" facade. School is tomorrow, my only chance at making things normal. I'm going to go in with my head held high, and make it to Austin's party tomorrow night. Heck, if this is a dream, then I can let whatever happens happen. I could live out my secret fantasy of letting him flirt with me and maybe flirting back this time.

"Dinner's ready!" Mom calls, snapping me out of my daydream.

I stand, my legs complaining every step of the way to the table. I flop into my chair with a little more force than necessary, Mom shoots me a glance as she sets the silverware and napkins on the table. She decides to brush it off, and sets down my plate.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Sitting across from me, she digs in to her meal. I nibble on mine, I don't really have an appetite at the moment. She notices almost immediately.

"What's up? I thought my Alfredo was your favorite."

"I'm fine. I'm just not super hungry, I ate on the way home."

I'm a horrible liar. She arches her eyebrow, I'm sure I'm about to get called out.

"Just eat what you want. I want to make sure you're good for school tomorrow. Do you need anything?"

"Nope. I'm fine."

"Okay."

Thank God. We sit in silence, eating and thinking. I take a few more bites before I'm done. I stand to take my plate to the sink, rinse it, and load it into the dishwasher. I walk back to the table and sit down, where Mom is finishing her meal. I reach down to rub my calves a little, willing the pain to go away. She takes her plate to the counter and loads it.

"You should go to bed early, get some beauty sleep for tomorrow."

It's only seven thirty, but sleep is sounding pretty nice. A sweet escape from today's nightmare. I get up and give her a hug.

"Good idea. Love you."

She kisses the top of my head, "Love you too."

I pull away and grab my glass of water on my way downstairs.

"Goodnight!" she calls after me.

"Goodnight." I respond, gingerly stepping down each stair. I deposit the glass on my night table and walk outside to let Knight back into his stall. He whinnies at me from the pasture, I smile at him and lead him quickly inside. I snatch a treat from the tack room and give it to him, kissing his nose and locking the barn door on my way out. I go back inside and take off the boots. Walking into the bathroom, I get ready as quickly as possible. My tired feeling is getting stronger each minute. Throwing on my softest pair of PJ shorts and a comfy top, I yank my hair into a bun and crawl into bed. I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

_**hiiiiiiiii I hope you liked it! now I'm low key craving some pasta.. please review, favorite, and follow! thanks for the love :)**_


	7. First Day

**First Day**

I awake to my alarm twittering at me, it's six in the morning. I heave a sigh and shut it off, climbing out of bed. Ouch. The pain is up to my knees now. This sucks. I cross to the closet and flick on the light, momentarily blinding myself. I rub my eyes and focus in on the row of shirts. I pull them over one by one until I get to the last one. There's the shirt. I heave a sigh as I play with the material of the sleeve. The dried blood has turned a majority of the shirt brown.

I grab a pair of very short high waisted black shorts, and my favorite crop top: white with a sunflower in the middle. I cross to the bathroom. I get ready slowly, taking as much time as I need. I have to look good today! Maybe I'll see Austin. In this dream, I can finally give myself a chance to live out the fantasy of being the girlfriend of the most popular guy in school. The thought makes me a little giddy. I wrestle my hair into a messy side fishtail braid, and apply my makeup. Pulling away from the mirror, I take a deep breath and flash a smile. Perfect. Today, I will make Austin fall in love with me. I lace up my black converse, grab my phone, and walk upstairs. The first day we aren't really even doing anything, so I don't need my backpack. Mom is already dressed and making breakfast.

"Good morning!" she says cheerfully, flashing me a smile.

"Morning."

I take up my usual place at the counter and she sets in front of me a delicious plate of my favorite breakfast foods: maple sausages, bacon, hash browns, and a pancake covered in syrup. I dig in, suddenly hungry from not eating last night.

"What's the occasion?" I ask, mouth full of food.

"It's your first day," she smiles at me, "you've got to start the day off right!"

She takes a sip of her coffee and I nod in agreement. I finish my food and set my plate in the sink, jumping back down the stairs to brush my teeth. I come back up to see Mom washing my plate. I give her a hug and she kisses my cheek.

"Have a good day."

"You too." I respond.

I grab my keys from the table and walk to the door. The pain in my legs has become so constant I almost don't notice it. Almost. I unlock my truck and hop in, and pull out of the driveway. I cruise to school feeling pumped, I blast a pop station as I wait in the traffic line that always builds up. Finally, I get through and pull into the student parking lot, taking a spot close to the front. I cut the engine and hop out, getting a few stares from a group of junior guys hanging out by their cars. I begin the walk to the bench, being careful not to get hit by any bad drivers. From my experience, there are tons.

"Relia!"

I look up to see Savanna running towards me, a huge grin on her face. She looks really cute today, white shorts and a coral colored shirt, with her hair in a bun.

She reaches me and wraps me in a huge hug, I hug her back.

"I missed you!" she says.

"I missed you too." I reply, a smile on my face.

"You look super cute!" she grins.

"You do too!"

She links arms with me, "Let's go inside."

We walk in, swallowed by high school. Here we go. Another year. I keep my eyes peeled for Austin, but there are no signs of him other than the occasional conversations I hear about his party tonight as we pass by other seniors.

Savanna elbows me in the ribs, "So how are things with you and Austin?"

Everyone at school assumed that we were going to hook up over summer, but I never even texted him.

I roll my eyes and flash a nonchalant smile, "Nothing's really happening in that department."

She looks shocked, "Really? But everyone said you two were gonna... you know..."

I laugh and she does too.

"Nothing happened. But maybe something might tonight."

"Oooh! I knew it! You like him!" she shouts gleefully.

Now it's my turn to elbow her, "Shut up! Not everyone needs to know!"

"Sorry."

We take our seats in the senior section of the gym, as does everyone else.

"It's okay. I guess we'll see what happens."

She winks at me and we turn our eyes to the floor. No sign of Luke yet. I know he wouldn't miss the first day of school, so where is he? Soon, our principal, Dr. Collins, walks out, a huge smile on his face.

"Welcome back!" he shouts into his microphone.

We all cheer in response.

"I'm super excited to be starting another amazing year with you guys, and I have a feeling this is going to be the best year this school has ever had!"

We all cheer again. He proceeds to talk about all of the different dances and events planned for the kick-off of this year, blah blah blah, homecoming is on my birthday again. Our school's homecoming is only a few weeks into the school year. I begin to absentmindedly rub my aching legs, staring off into the distance. But thunderous applause shakes me out of my reverie, and Austin Roberts steps out onto the gym floor. He's even more attractive than he was last year, he's gotten more muscular. That golden blonde hair is styled well, and his light brown eyes sparkle. His deep, masculine voice fills the gym, "Hey there my fellow students!" he flashes a charming grin at the sophomore section, I swear I see a few girls faint.

"I'm so happy to be back this year as your student body president and quarterback of the varsity football team, and I'm very excited about all of the amazing events we've planned for you. I'll see you all at every one, right? Especially the homecoming dance and game!"

He's met with cheers and hollers from everyone in the gym. He grins and turns to the seniors, eyes scanning the crowd. I hide behind a taller guy, because I have a feeling it's me he's looking for. Wait, why am I hiding?

"The cheer squad and my team have been working on a new cheer for us to do at football games, and we would all like to teach it to you. Are we ready?"

We all cheer, and the football team comes running on to the floor in their jerseys and jeans. The cheerleaders follow in skirts so short they seem nonexistent. That's the appeal, I suppose. Austin and his groupies show us the cheer, and we follow along. He concludes with his hope to see us at the first football game next week and at homecoming, and hands the microphone back to Dr. Collins. Everyone cheers as he walks back to the front row, his teammates slap him on the back as Dr. Collins wraps up the assembly. He wants us to go to our first period, and so we all flood from the bleachers to the doors. Savanna runs off to join her friend, giving me a kiss on the cheek and promising to meet me at lunch. I slowly climb down the bleachers, the pain in my legs is pretty bad. Pretty much everyone is running past me, I try to go a little faster so it's not obvious that I'm hurt. Then, as I get to the last step, my knee buckles beneath me, and I trip. Shit. As the ground rushes up to meet me and I prepare for impact, an incredibly strong pair of arms wrap around me, pulling me back onto my feet. This is like something straight out of a movie. I turn to thank my savior, and am interrupted by a voice like honey, "Falling for me already, Relia? I thought I would have to work for it."

His pearly whites flash at me, he doesn't let me go. I could actually get used to this. I put on my most seductive face and look up through my lashes to meet his brown eyes, "Hey, Austin."

**_ooooooh Austin's a hottieeeeeee haha I hope you liked it! if you did, please review, favorite, and follow! thanks for being awesome ;)_**


	8. Taken

**Taken**

Austin grins, still not letting me go. It's kind of funny actually, it's like we were dancing, he dipped me, and never pulled me back up. I decide to play a little hard to get. Hopefully this works.

"How was your summer?"

"Fine, thanks." I respond.

"Are you coming to my party tonight?" he asks.

"Maybe."

I begin to try and stand up, his arms are still holding me in place.

"Going somewhere?"

I finally wriggle out of his grip and stand, "Yes, actually. First period."

I turn my back to him and walk away, making sure to sashay a little more than necessary.

"And, Austin?"

I turn back to him to find that he hasn't moved, his eyes jolt back up from my butt to meet mine.

"You _are_ gonna have to work for it."

I flash him a flirty smile and see his eyebrows raise, he's not used to a girl resisting his charm. I turn away and walk out without a backward glance. Nailed it! Now I just have to reel him in. Knowing Austin, he's going to try to use his money to get me to like him. I'm going to show him that it's going to take more than that to get a girl. I slide into a seat in English right as the bell rings, and my new teacher blabbers on and on about the class for the whole period. She lists the supplies we'll need, which I write down, and it's off to the next class. The day is like this the whole time, moving from class to class. By the time it's over, I'm glad we're out. I walk to my car and hop in, pulling out my sunglasses and putting them on. I back out of my parking space and begin the drive. I turn on the radio again, allowing myself to get lost in my thoughts about Austin and his party tonight. I'm going to have to look perfect, and turn up the flirting. Now I'm hoping this dream never ends! Even if this isn't a dream, I'm realizing now that I want to date him anyways. I'm not going to hookup with him right away like most do, but I still want to date him.

School was amazing. I got to feel normal again. I even managed to slightly ignore my aching pain in my legs. Luckily, the gray tinge is dull, and the pain hasn't gone past my knees yet. I'm doing good. I pull out my phone and text Mom that I'm going to pick up school supplies and I'll be home by four thirty. That gives me an hour and a half to grab some school stuff and hunt for an outfit to wear to Austin's party. I pull in to Office Max and get the stuff I need as quickly as possible, then I speed over to the mall to find some clothes. After a half hour of searching, I find nothing. Wandering into Abercrombie and Fitch, my eyes land on the cutest crop top I have ever seen. It's spaghetti-strapped and scoop necked, in a gorgeous red with blue and white flowers all over it. I snatch it up and run to the dressing room to try it on. It's perfect! Just enough skin to look very good, but not trashy. I buy it and exit the store, speeding back home. I pull into the driveway at four thirty exactly, and grab my bags. Mom isn't home yet, so I go downstairs and deposit the bags on my bed. I change into muck boots and go outside, where Knight is waiting in his stall. He whinnies at me and I smile at him, kissing his nose before I lead him out to the pen. I work with him on following me, making sure to get him some exercise, too. After an hour and a half I put him back in his stall, I won't be home in time to let him out of the pasture anyways. I go back inside and change out of my muck boots. I hop in the shower and wash the day's dirt away. I even use my yummy rose body wash. I enter my closet and select my shortest pair of dark denim shorts, and my push-up bra I only use on special occasions like this. I change out of the day's outfit and into my new one, and lace up my pair of brown ankle boots to highlight my legs. The effect is perfect. I rebraid my hair and reapply my makeup, and grab my phone as I head upstairs. Mom still isn't home, not that I'm surprised. It's six forty five, his party doesn't start until seven. I'm going to be fashionably late and not leave for another ten minutes. I flop onto the couch and shoot Savanna a text, "be there soon". She texts me back a few minutes later, "already here. he went all out for this one! he's trying to impress you!".

"whatever! see u in a few"

I stand and go outside, grabbing the house key from the plant. Who knows what time I'll be home! I hop into my truck and pull out of the driveway, cruising onto the main road. I turn onto a road that goes back through a vast valley of wildflowers and drive at least a mile until I get to the gate. A man sits inside, "Name?"

"Relia Pierce?"

"Who are you here to see?"

"Austin Roberts."

He takes a photo of my license plate and opens the gate. I drive through and into the trees. Austin's house is one of the biggest in this neighborhood, so it takes me a while to drive to the back. Soon, the houses spread out and get larger, and I pull into the driveway of his house. Tastefully decorated with twinkling white Christmas lights, but I know what lies within. I pull farther up the driveway, which is wide enough to fit at least four trucks, and park behind the growing line of cars snaking down his driveway. I check the clock before climbing out, seven thirty. Perfect. The faint sound of pumping music is up ahead. I follow the driveway to the top, where a massive fountain is located. It spews water in every direction, it glows with a soft light. It's actually kind of pretty. His house is monstrous. It sprawls ahead of me like a castle, each window is lit up with a different color as the strobe lights inside flash. I walk up the front steps and open the front door, stepping inside. I'm greeted by the smell of underage drinking and the sight of many people dancing. It's pitch black inside, save the strobes. They allow for brief flashes of light that illuminate couples grinding and making out as today's pop hits come blasting through high quality speakers all around the room. Kegs are set up along one wall, and the DJ is set up along the other. The floor is completely crowded. I sigh. This is why I hate parties, especially Austin's parties. His house is like a club. This is awful. But I'm here for Austin. I might as well look for him and try to have fun. I step further into the house, looking for Savanna and Austin. Savanna sees me first.

"Relia!" she shrieks.

I turn around to greet her just as she smacks into me, a huge grin on her slightly drunk face. It's clear she's had a few drinks already. She shoves a Solo cup into my hand, and takes a sip from hers.

"Isn't this great?"

I smile and nod, "Yeah."

"I haven't seen Austin yet. Have you?" she asks.

I shake my head in response, "No, I haven't."

"Maybe he'll show up. It's his party anyway." she smiles at me and gives me a hug, then staggers back to her group. I'm alone.

I sigh and move off of the dance floor to the wall. If Austin doesn't make his appearance in a few minutes, I'm leaving. I drum my fingers on the wall, absentmindedly staring into the crowd. The song ends and a new one starts, even more auto-tuned than the last. That's it, I'm out. I turn towards the door and smack right into a man's broad chest. I plaster a flirty smile on my face. About time he showed up.

"Sorry. Hi."

Austin chuckles, "It's getting hard to keep you off of me! Dance with me?"

Ugh. He's so cocky. I smile up at him, "Sure."

He takes my cup out of my hands and sets it on a small table nearby, and slides his hand around mine.

"Come on."

He leads me into the crowd, I see a few jealous girls glaring at me, and a few guys trying to wink at me. Austin doesn't let go until we're in the middle of the floor, surrounded by as close to a mosh-pit as high school seniors can get. He grabs my other hand and places it around his neck, pulling my body right up against his. My hands stay behind his head, and he reaches down to grab my hips. He sways us side to side to the beat of the music, every inch of us touching each other. I can feel the energy buzzing between our bodies. I look up at him then, and I'm met with a look I've never gotten from Austin before. He looks almost... hungry. He lightly licks his lips and brings his head down to meet me, and instantly his lips are on mine in a kiss. A completely sober, very passionate, kiss. His tongue slips effortlessly into my mouth, igniting a warm fire between my legs. This is almost too easy. He pulls away, taking my hand and leading me to a little bar area along the wall. He opens up a small fridge and withdraws a tiny glass bottle. Is he going to make me a drink? He uncaps the bottle and pours the water all over my legs. Pain shoots through them, up to my waist. It's as if my bones are breaking. The pain is blinding, it hurts so bad! Spots begin to cloud my vision, but I see him smile with a set of abnormally sharp teeth. He reaches into his back pocket, withdrawing a small black pouch. He reaches inside, and pulls out a handful of familiar looking sand. Except instead of white, it's black.

"Wha-" I can't even form a complete sentence. I feel dizzy and sick, my vision darkens further. My legs feel like one gigantic knot. I can feel them twisting on each other, but they don't look strange to me. What's happening? I can't move. He takes a pinch of sand and blows it into my face. It's like a sleeping powder. I slump forward into him, his arms wrap around me in a tight hold.

I hear a soft chuckle in my ear, his breath warms my cheek,"Goodnight, Princess."

Everything goes black.

* * *

_Drip._

Ouch.

_Drip._

Ouch!

_Drip._

OUCH!

My eyes snap open. I'm sitting against a wall on a cold stone floor. I can see a barred window on the right wall, where the light of the moon is hidden by thick clouds. There is a door on the wall across from me, it's metal with a small window at eye level. On the left wall, there is a cot and a sink. A cold liquid is dripping onto my legs, each drop causes them to throb with pain. Glancing up, I see a small hole in the ceiling, where a small line of pipe is dripping. Glancing down, I can see where the liquid has hit my leg. The spot is entirely silver scales, shimmering a rainbow of colors in the moonlight. It would be beautiful if it didn't hurt so terribly. Every drip makes the silver spot spread, turning my upper thigh into sparkling silver scales. Like a fish's scales, but infused with rainbow glitter. I lean forward slightly, seeing that with each drop, my skin seems to fade away. What the hell is going on!

_Drip._

My skin really is melting off, that's why it hurts so badly. It feels like I'm being stabbed over and over in the same place. I try in vain to move my legs, but the slightest shift causes more pain than the liquid does. My bones feel shattered, and each movement seems to make the shards grind together and against my skin. I try to move my hands to brush the liquid off, and I almost succeed before the shackles stop me. Shackles?! It hits me then, I'm in a jail cell. I take in a quick breath. Oh my God. I'm in JAIL. What did I do? I think back to what happened before I was here, all I can remember are strobe lights and loud music. Was I at a party? Maybe the cops busted us. So now I'm here. Maybe I'm on drugs, and I'm hallucinating.

_Drip._

Memories slowly trickle in: Luke, the two pirates, Austin. I just can't remember anything past those strobes… I try to move my legs again, and cry out against my will. A few rogue tears drip down my face, I rub them away. It feels like knives are being dragged along my tendons. I lean my head back against the stone wall, and take a shaky breath.

_Drip._

At that moment, I hear a thunk. It sounds as if a lock is being turned. My door swings open to reveal a man standing in the doorway. He's wearing a long black trench coat, a black shirt, and dark jeans. He's holding a small but sharp looking dagger in his right hand, and a black pouch in his left. A familiar black pouch. Then, he moves into the dim moonlight.

I gasp, "Austin?"

His eyes are now deep yellow, like molten gold. He chuckles, his eyes flashing, "Please, call me Aleksander."

_Drip._

**_ohhhhhhh Austin isn't actually Austin plot twist! dang.. well, looks like Aleksander has a hold of Relia! sounds like a problem. hope you enjoyed! if you did, please review, favorite, and follow! I'll see you next chapter :)_**


	9. Neverland

**Neverland**

Austin, er, Aleksander, smirks, relishing in my confusion. And then it hits me. My mother was talking about him with that unknown voice out her window. What was it she said? That "Aleksander" was looking for me?

_Drip._

"What do you want?" I ask, trying as hard as I can to keep my voice strong.

He strides forward and crouches before me, a spark in his golden eyes, "Information."

He slowly reaches out and catches the next drop of liquid in his palm. And the next. I savor the relief of not having my skin be melted off for a few moments. Then, he flips his hand upside down, sending a puddle of the liquid onto my legs. I scream loudly, mostly in pain, and partly in shock. I try to move my hands to brush the liquid agony off, but they get caught by my chains again. I move my legs, and it sends another shock of pain through my body. I start to cry for real now, big tears that drip down my face. I furiously swipe them away, I can't show this guy weakness.

"I'll tell you anything! Just make it stop!"

He smiles at me, his sharp teeth on display.

"Do you know where this water comes from?" he asks.

_Drip._

"No." I whimper, this is nothing like I've ever felt before.

He catches the next drop, and lets it fall through his fingers onto my leg. I half expect my flesh to sizzle and smoke.

"This," he smirks, "is water straight from Mermaid Lagoon."

"It's what?"

Mermaid Lagoon? Where the hell is that? I've never even heard of any such lake in all of Colorado.

"The place where the mermaids dwell, Relia."

"But, mermaids don't exist."

_Drip._

He chuckles, "Oh, silly girl. You're living proof that they do."

"What?"

Now, he really laughs at me. What is he talking about? I'm proof that mermaids exist? I glance down at my shimmering leg, it does kind of add up… I set my jaw and glare up at him, he looks slightly shocked, but amused, at my new found strength.

"Tell me what's going on. Now."

_Drip._

He smiles at me, and lunges forward so quickly I almost fall backwards. He whips out his dagger and presses it to my throat. It stings, but I don't back down. His face has morphed into one of a stone cold killer.

"If you _ever_," he forces the dagger against my throat, I can feel a few drops of my blood drip from my neck, but I refuse to back away, "talk to me like you have power," he pushes harder, "I will slit your throat."

My blood is now streaming down my throat and onto my chest.

_Drip._

He pulls away, and stares into my eyes.

'Welcome to Neverland, Princess."

Neverland? Like _the_ Neverland? Princess? He reaches into his bag and pulls out a pinch of a familiar looking sparkly sand, but it's black.

"What are you talki-"

"I know all I need to know for now."

"But-" He blows it onto my face, and I slump into the wall, out cold.

* * *

I sit up with a gasp, wiping away hot tears and shaking my head to get rid of the nightmare. It's okay. It was all a dream. Taking in my surroundings, it hits me hard that it's not. I don't even know how long I've been out for, but the sun is shining brightly and my cell is kind of hot. The sky is a beautiful blue, with white cotton candy clouds. There is a light breeze that carries with it the smell of the sea. I'm so not in Colorado anymore. I move to stretch, but that sharp pain reminds me that I can't. Almost my whole left leg is scales now, and they shine beautifully in the late morning sun. On the bright side, the water doesn't hurt very much anymore. It has melted off my flesh as much as it could. I just don't want to go through that with my right leg.

At that moment, I hear a scratching sound. Almost like sawing. I scan my room from my spot on the floor, not seeing anything. But, a bit of movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. A dagger, nothing like the one Aleksander used on me, is sawing through the bars of my window. No way. Is this a jailbreak? I don't know who's doing it, all I can see is the steady back and forth motion of the dagger against the bar. It's working, my rescuer is almost halfway through with the second bar. I try to call out to them but I fail, I can't speak. My mouth and throat are so dry that I can't talk. All I can do is look helplessly at the dagger, now sawing through its third bar. I sit and wait, within minutes all six bars are sawed through, and the window is open wide enough for a person to fit through. Then, it goes quiet. It appears my rescuer has disappeared. I can't shout for help or to see if anyone is there, I can just stare and hope for the best.

Nothing.

The world is silent, except for the distant calling of seagulls and the salty breeze moving through the trees.

All of a sudden, a guy jumps through my window. He rolls gracefully through and lands on the floor, with his back to me. He straightens and brushes dust off of his loose white shirt. He's wearing brown pants and black leather boots, and has a small dagger, a pouch tied with a familiar weathered white string, and something that looks like an old fashioned flute attached to his belt. He runs a hand through his wavy chestnut hair, with those beautiful hints of red. And then he turns around.

There's a spark in those emerald green eyes as he extends a hand to me, "Peter Pan, at your service m'lady."

A week ago, I would have laughed if someone introduced themselves as Peter Pan. But now, my silver leg and surroundings cause me to believe he's not lying.

_Drip._

He smiles at me reassuringly, and then his eyes land on my leg.

"Shit. You're already in transition."

"I'm-" I break into a coughing fit, my mouth is so dry. I clear my throat and take a few deep breaths before I try again.

"I'm what?"

"Transition," he repeats, "from a human to a mermaid."

I laugh nervously, "Um, you're kidding right?"

Something inside me knows he isn't, but I don't want to believe it.

His face grows serious, "I'm not. We need to get you out of here and to the lagoon before nightfall, before Aleksander wakes up."

He steps forward. "Are you in pain?"

"Nothing like I've ever felt before."

_Drip._

He cocks his head, "I'm just going to have to carry you, and you're going to have to bear with me. It's going to hurt."

I nod, trying to maintain a brave face.

"I can do it."

He smiles at me, "That's the spirit."

He crouches onto the floor of my cell and reaches into the pouch that contains that sparkling white sand. He withdraws a small silver key, and inserts it into my shackles.

"How do you have the key?" I ask, suspicious.

He moves to my other wrist and smiles at me, "It's a skeleton key. It unlocks anything and everything on this island." He unlocks it and leans towards me, "Alright. One, two, three."

He puts his arms behind my knees and back, and lifts. I bite my tongue hard to keep my scream in. It's unbearable. Silent tears fall, I bury my face in his chest and squeeze hard onto his shoulders.

He straightens and looks down at me, "Will you be okay?"

I tighten my grip and nod. He gives me a sympathetic smile, and lifts off of the ground. Oh, that's right. Peter Pan can fly.

We soar out the window and into this new world. It's very beautiful, we're flying away from my cell over a forest of all sorts of trees, aspens, palm trees, pine trees, and some more that I don't recognize. Looking back, I see that my prison was built into the side of a mountain, located near the mouth of a large cave and a sizable lake fed by a waterfall. That lake empties into an even bigger waterfall that falls down the rest of the mountain range. The waterfall empties into a long creek that leads to a crystal blue ocean. Looking around helps take my mind off of my throbbing legs. I can see a fishing village near the end of the river, right on the beach, that backs up to the forest. The whole island is covered by the lush trees, save the mountains and a dryer plateau on another side. A thin column of smoke wafts up from the plateau, a campfire? Glancing away from the plateau, there is a massive tree that towers above the forest, and seems to glow in the light. My eyes can't seem to tear themselves away from it.

Peter distracts me by dipping lower in the sky, towards a smaller cove on the opposite end of the island. We've traveled a long distance in this time. He lands on a rock in the center of the cove, and gently sets me down on the ground next to him. My legs complain at every small movement. He sits down next to me.

"Are you okay?"

I look up at him, my eyes welling up with tears. God, I need to stop with the crying.

"What's happening to me?" I ask.

As soon as the first tear trickles down my cheek, he pulls me in for a hug. I lean against his chest, thankful for the warmth of another person. He holds me, gently rocking back and forth. I hear the crackle of twigs in the bushes, he hears it too. We turn in the direction of the noise, but nothing is there. This place is weird.

"It'll be okay. It sucks right now, I can't even imagine what you're feeling. But soon, it will all be over."

I tilt my head to look up at him, "What do you-"

He reaches out and puts a finger to my lips, a grin forming on his face.

"Shh. Everything will make sense in time."

Who is everyone refusing to tell me what's going on? I turn away and stare into the water below us, it ripples in the soft wind, bluer than anything I've ever seen. Peter shifts next to me, reaching to his belt to grab the instrument I saw earlier.

I sniff and wipe my eyes, "What is that?"

"This," he smiles down at me, "is my set of pipes."

"Like a flute?" I ask.

He nods, and brings them to his lips. He plays a short melody that sounds like a sea breeze. I can literally feel the ocean caressing my face. I close my eyes and lean against him, listening to him play. He stops suddenly, and I open my eyes. I'm staring into the face of a girl my age, with deep blue eyes and long, wavy dark brown hair. Small, shiny pearls are weaved into it, and a beautiful tiara sits on her head. She's wearing a bikini top made of seaweed, interesting fashion choice; the rest of her body is submerged in the cove's waters. I gasp, Peter tightens his hold on me reassuringly.

The girl smiles at me sweetly, and extends a smooth hand in my direction. I take it hesitantly, and her smile broadens.

"I'm Marina."

"Relia."

"I know."

She turns her attention to my shimmering leg, and gasps.

"It's silver." she whispers, Peter doesn't hear her.

"Is there something wrong?" he asks, not removing his arm from around my shoulders.

She shakes her head softly and turns her attention back to us.

"No. There's nothing wrong. We need to get going before the others know I'm here."

Peter stiffens against me, "They don't know?"

Her kind face becomes agitated, "Peter, she's the first ever. How the hell do you think the rest of them will react? With our queen having just returned, everyone is already high-strung. We don't need to add her," she gestures to me, "to the mix."

Peter sighs, "Fine. Keep her safe, I'll be back to check on her tomorrow. Deal?"

Her pleasant demeanor is returned, "Deal."

She looks at me, "This is going to hurt, okay?"

"What's going to hurt?" I ask.

Then she snatches my hand and pulls me under. I don't even have time to scream.

_**ahhhh cliffhanger much!? well I hope you enjoyed! if you did, please review, favorite, and follow! I'll see ya next chapter **_


	10. the Grotto

**the Grotto**

It's like a fire is spreading up my legs and melting them down. I scream so loudly I feel like my ears are going to explode. I can't see, there are bubbles everywhere that cloud my vision. My lungs fill with salt water so I close my mouth, trying in vain to hold my breath. Is she trying to drown me? She pulls me deeper under the water. This is it. I'm going to die. At least the water is warm. I can feel myself slipping away. It's okay. I suppose I've lived long enough. I allow Marina to pull me through the water, dark spots edge into my line of sight. Soon enough, the world fades away.

* * *

"What did you do?"

"Nothing, Kai. She's fine, she has a pulse, she's not dead."

"But is she conscious? No. Is her tail a normal color? No. It's the color of a Royal! Dammit, Marina. You were supposed to bring a mermaid here alive and well. Harboring a halfbreed is enough, but an halfbreed Royal? Tell me what happened!"

Marina sighs, "I pulled her under and caught her by surprise so she wouldn't have time to back out. I knew she was in pain so I wanted it to go quickly. I forgot that she can't breath underwater during transition, so she drowned. That's all. I turned around and she was unconscious. So I brought her here."

The guy, Kai is his name I think, sighs, "What am I going to do with her?"

"Nothing. Stand guard until she wakes up, and we'll explain everything. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"To get her a new shirt."

The room falls silent, I think she's gone. I hear Kai move to sit in a chair to my right. I'm laying on a stone cot without a blanket, but I'm warm. I roll over with a sigh, not ready to wake up and face whatever it is I have to deal with. I feel something on my shoulder, I gasp and sit up. Kai jerks back, with a nervous smile on his face.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

We're underwater, in a grotto of sorts. It's filled with multicolored marine plants that wave softly in the underwater breeze. I'm laying on a stone slab that is pushed against the left wall of the cave, he's sitting in a chair next to me. After I take in my surroundings, I look back over to him. He's an attractive guy, probably in his early twenties, with brown hair, tan skin, and eyes just like Marina's. Of course they're related. He's shirtless, not that it bothers me, and is wearing an odd looking pair of light blue pants that match his eyes perfectly. Then, I realize what it is. It's a tail.

He smiles again, and extends his hand, "I'm Kai."

I take it, "Relia."

He releases my hand, glancing at my legs before looking back up at my face.

I look down too, realizing that they don't hurt anymore. I almost pass out right there. I have a tail, too. Its silver scales shimmer in the dull light of the grotto, reflecting a rainbow of colors onto the walls.

I look up at him, shock in my eyes, "What is this?"

"You're a mermaid, Relia," he laughs, "not even a normal mermaid. You're a halfbreed and a Royal!"

He laughs again, it's slightly hysteric, and runs a hand through his hair. He sighs so roughly I see bubbles float up from his mouth.

"A Royal? A halfbreed? A mermaid? How can I breathe underwater? How the hell am I not dead? Where am I? What does-"

He laughs loudly, it fills the grotto and bounces off of the walls.

"All of your questions will be answered when Marina arrives. She'll help me explain everything."

Now it's my turn to sigh.

Just then, Marina swims through the door, a simple black bikini in her hand. Nothing like the seaweed wrap she's wearing. Her tail is the exact same shade as Kai's, deep blue to match her eyes.

Kai "stands", and swims out the door.

Marina approaches me slowly, "How are you feeling?"

I sigh, "Honestly, not amazing."

She laughs, "Yeah, I get that. Here. Your other shirt is ruined so I brought you a new one, and a matching pair of bottoms just because."

She hands them to me, and I smile at her. At least she's nice. I glance down at my brand new crop top. Torn and dirty, it seems completely out of place here. I gladly take it off, and awkwardly turn away to unclip my bra and change my shirt. The bikini top really is simple, just black cloth with strings to tie around the neck and back. It's kind of skimpy, but I'm grateful to at least have something to cover up with. I loop the bottoms around my wrist a few times, creating an awkward cloth bracelet. Oh well.

"Can I come in now?" Kai's voice drifts through the door.

Marina smiles at me, "Yes."

Kai enters the room and resumes his position on the chair, his eyes briefly travel my chest before returning to my face. Marina clears her throat and drags a second chair over to the side of my bed.

"What do you want to know?"

I swing my brand new tail over the side of the bed to sit on the edge. It's even easier than moving my legs, it's lightweight. I tentatively touch it, it's smooth. I imagine this is what touching a fish feels like. I glance back up to Marina and Kai, who are staring at me expectantly. I think long and hard before opening my mouth.

"Where am I?"

Kai leans back in his chair, his arms behind his head and a lazy grin on his face, "My house."

She rolls her eyes and looks at me, "I live at the palace, because I was filling in as Queen while Selene was away."

"Why did you get to do it?" I ask.

She pauses, "Because I am the closest thing Selene has to family. She is an only child, and her parents are dead. We were best friends before she," Marina swallows, "left."

"What do you mean, left?"

"To put it simply, she was to marry someone she didn't wish to marry, so she fled with her secret lover. She wouldn't even tell me who he was. They hid somewhere on the island, rumor has it they had a child. They were found then, and somehow they escaped to the Mainland where they hid for eighteen years. Selene just returned to us yesterday."

"What about her lover?"

"I'm not sure about him, but I don't think he came back with her."

"Why did she come back now?"

Marina cocks her head, "I don't know. She won't talk to anyone, not even me."

I think for a moment before asking my next question, "My mother's name is Selene, could there be a coincidence?"

Marina's eyes widen a little bit, and Kai leans forward in his chair.

"Your mother's name is Selene, and you have the tail of a Royal…"

He and Marina exchange glances.

"It does kind of add up. She came here right when Selene did…" Marina says.

"We should take her to see Selene." Kai replies.

"Hello? Right here."

Marina looks over at me, "Sorry. We can take you to see her. Is that what you want?"

"I guess. But, what if she isn't my mom?"

"Then we'll have an even bigger problem." Kai says.

I sigh, "All right. Let's do it."

Marina claps her hands together, her pearls sway with her movement, "Great!"

Kai rolls his eyes, "Not so fast. Do we just waltz up to the palace and demand an audience with the Queen herself?"

Marina pushes herself up and places her hands on her hips, "In case you've forgotten," she taps her tiara, "I was Queen just a few days ago. I think we'll be just fine."

Kai sighs and rises, running a hand through his hair, "We need a cover story."

"Why don't we just say that Relia is a visiting diplomat from another portion of the sea? Her tail is not only silver like a Royal's, but it shimmers a rainbow of colors. She looks different from our Royals, so she can pass as one. She's special. Have you noticed the glow?"

Kai gives me a once over, "Why does it glow?"

I look down, my tail is giving off a faint aura, it makes theirs pale in comparison.

"I don't know." I respond.

"They'll eat it right up," Marina says cheerfully, "I'll go and see what I can do. I'll be back soon."

She leaves, closing the door behind her, and I turn to Kai. He smiles at me and offers me his hand. I take it and he pulls me up off of the bed, a wicked glint in his eye.

"Try it out." he says.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"Your tail." he smiles at me.

"How do you even use it?"

I tentatively give it a flick, and shoot towards the ceiling. Kai grabs hold of my waist before I can get a concussion, and pulls me back to the ground. I let out a laugh against my will as he pulls me in to his chest.

"Don't worry," he whispers into my ear, "I'll teach you."

He releases me and I turn to face him. I try again, giving my tail a light flick. I rise up to his height, grinning like a madwoman.

"This is actually kind of fun!"

He smiles back, "Okay, think of it as a propeller. It will send you where you want to go, it's part of your body."

"Okay…"

I think about gliding to the door, slowly angling my tail in that direction. I take a deep breath and give it a flick. I shoot forward and right into the door, which swings open. I fly outside and smack directly into a rock wall, and am knocked onto my butt.

Kai is on me in an instant.

"Are you okay?" he asks, worry creasing his brow. He's cute when he's upset. Wait, what?

I do a quick damage check, but nothing really hurts.

"I'm fine."

I smile at him and allow him to pull me up.

"Here, let me help."

He pulls me into him, pressing my back into his chest. He gently moves his tail, and we drift forward.

"See? Nice and gentle."

I can barely focus, his touch sends electric pulses through my body. I've only known this guy for a few minutes, but it feels like I've known him for ages. I can only nod.

All of a sudden, he tightens his hold on me and shoots forward, under a rock formation. I shriek a little and I hear him laughing in my ear as the water rushes past us. We emerge from underneath the rock arch, and directly into a coral reef. It's beautiful, with fish of all shapes and sizes swimming through the coral's holes. I can see every color and then some, but it doesn't last long. The fish flee as we speed towards them, hiding in any crevice they can find. Suddenly, he stops, and lets go of me. I turn to ask what's going on, but he's gone.

_**ooh sparks are flying! what do you think of Kai? hope you enjoyed! if you did, please review, favorite, and follow. thank you for your love and support! you guys are the best. 3**_


	11. There Be Pirates

**There Be Pirates**

"Kai?"

I pivot in a full circle, but he's no where to be seen.

"Kai?" I shout, my voice rising an octave.

Where did he go? Why would he leave me out here? I don't even know how to use this thing, much less how to get back to his house!

"Hello?"

A few tears start to fall, I angrily swipe them away. No more crying. Everyone must think I'm a child. A soft tap on my lower back sends me whirling around, and the small yellow fish jets back into the coral. I let out a teary giggle, and practice a slow glide towards the reef.

"I'm sorry," I say, "please come back."

Am I really talking to a fish right now? I expect nothing to happen, but the little fish pokes his head out of his hiding spot. I smile at it, and extend my hand.

"Come on out. I won't hurt you."

The fish swims forward very quickly, and weaves between my fingers. I laugh with excitement. Does it really understand me? Suddenly, the coral reef comes alive with fish, at least two hundred, and they're all swimming at me. The school ranges from tiny silver fish the size of my pinky, to large blue and yellow fish the size of my arm. I'm surrounded, they swim through my hair and around my tail, creating a colorful tornado. It tickles, I'm soon laughing uncontrollably as the fish dart around me.

"Okay, okay. Stop!"

They cease their swimming and back up, floating like little soldiers waiting for my next command. They really do understand me!

"Um," the idea hits me and brings a smile to my face, "find Kai, please."

They all jet around to the side of the reef, and I hear a shout of surprise and joy as Kai is pushed around the corner by my army of fish. He's laughing, I start to laugh, too. They deposit him in front of me, and split on either side of him.

"You guys can go back to your reef now. Thank you for your help."

They swim away to the reef, swimming through its holes and around each other.

"I see you've already discovered one of our gifts." Kai says.

I turn my attention to him, "Gifts?"

"Mermaids can speak to fish."

I cock my head, "That's very interesting."

He chuckles, "I wasn't sure that you would be able to do that, what with you being a half breed and all. You're very far from normal, you know."

I look up at him, a grin playing on my lips, "I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"You should."

I watch the fish glide through the water.

"What's the other part of me?"

"Not entirely sure. Human? It all depends on if the Queen is your mother, and who her lover was, if there actually was one. It's kind of up in the air right now."

Hm. I suppose we'll find out. The sunlight falls through the waves, creating shadows against the bright colors of the coral. Being here next to Kai, I don't think I could be happier. That pain was almost worth it. How many kids dream of becoming mermaids? The fish dart through my hair and around our tails. We both burst into laughter, their fins tickling every inch of us. I could get used to this. Kai moves a little closer to me. I'm not sure, but I think we're feeling the same way right now.

Suddenly, I inhale a huge gulp of salt water. I'm supposed to be able to breathe underwater. But it happens again, I can't breathe. Then, that familiar fire starts burning in my legs, in reverse. It feels like my tail is being split apart. It is. I'm turning back into a human. My eyes open wide in terror, Kai pulls away.

"What's wrong?"

I'm trying to convey what's going on using my eyes, but he's not getting it. I can't hold my breath much longer. My legs are on fire, I can feel my bones shattering. Kai looks down. His face goes pale. He looks up at me again, fear in his eyes, just as I let out my last breath in an explosion of bubbles. I'm crying again. Darkness edges into my vision, my legs are twisting on each other as my bones form again as a set of human legs. Kai rushes forward to me, and grabs hold of my waist. He shoots up towards the surface. My vision is growing dimmer by the second. I begin to go limp against him.

"I don't know if you can hear me, but-" his voice breaks, and he pauses. I can feel the water rushing around me, and the now setting sun on my face.

"You're going to be okay."

My world goes black.

* * *

I'm weightless, floating on a cloud. I can't see the world below me, only miles and miles of clear, blue sky. I don't have a care in the world, I don't feel worried at all. It's nice. I know I was feeling worried about something, but I can't remember what it is anymore. I don't mind, though. I close my eyes and settle back into the soft, warm cloud.

A drop of water hits me right on my forehead, I open my eyes. My beautiful sky has turned black with storm clouds, and it is beginning to rain. A bright flash of lightning streaks across the sky, followed by a booming clap of thunder. The rain is falling hard now, I can't seem to get away from it. It fills my nose and mouth. My cloud begins to disintegrate beneath me. I'm going to fall out of the sky! Thunder cracks through the air again as the water continues to pour into my body. I begin to fall. Down, down, down, it seems as if my fall will never end. I don't scream, but I feel a sense of panic begin to well up within me. The water makes me feel so heavy…

"Relia!"

My name? My fall slows, I can feel the water begin to ooze out of me. I don't feel so heavy anymore.

"Come on. Wake up!"

My eyes snap open, I cough violently. The water inside of me flows out of my mouth, I keep coughing until all of the water is drained from my lungs, the salt scratching my tongue. I'm wrapped in a hug from behind, and a chin resting on top of my head.

"Thank Neptune. I thought you were dead." Kai says softly, not letting me go.

We're sitting on top of the rock Peter and I sat on earlier today, now the sun has almost set behind the mountains.

I glance around, and realize something. I'm not wearing any pants.

I remember my bikini bottoms wrapped around my wrist, and hastily pull them off.

Keeping my back to him, I say to the water, "Uh, Kai. Could you…" I make a circle motion with my finger.

He gives a strangled cough as he realizes why, "Sure, sure."

I hear him shuffle behind me as he turns his back, and when I decide it's safe I slip them on.

"All clear."

I turn to face him as he turns to face me, and I notice he still has a tail.

"You didn't change?"

He gives me a confused look, "What do you mean?"

"To a human. Why didn't you?"

"I can't. Only half breeds can. It's a gift unique to you. After all, you're the first mermaid half breed we've ever known." he flashes a charming smile, "like I said, you're very very special."

A question pops into my head, and before I realize what I'm saying I say it, "Then how do mermaids reproduce?"

He bursts out laughing as I clap my hand over my mouth, a blush creeping up my cheeks.

"Sorry. Never mind." I mumble.

He pulls me in to his chest, my back is to him and I lean my head against his shoulder. We stare out at the waters of the lagoon.

"To answer your question," he starts, a teasing tone in his voice, "it happens when a mermaid and a merman mate. When a mermaid falls in love, they fall hard. So mating is a really big deal. After the ceremony is completed, and the Queen gives her blessing, the couple selects a spot on Neverland to have what humans call a honeymoon. A strange force compels them to pick a certain spot, and when they do, they change. Then they, um, reproduce. As soon as the child is born, they come back to the lagoon and the child is christened by the Queen. It's a cool process, really."

"Have you ever mated?"

"No. I haven't."

"How old are you?"

Damn, I need a filter. He pauses, I can feel his heartbeat against my back as I stare up at the sky, now inky black and filled with twinkling stars. A crescent moon shines light upon the water.

"Ninety seven."

I crane my neck to stare into his face, "Ninety seven?"

He chuckles, "I'm kind of immortal, after all. You don't age in Neverland."

"Oh. Right."

I lean back against him again, he tightens his arms around me. I look at the shore, a little ways away, and notice a small, shining object buried in the sand. The moonlight makes it shimmer.

"We should get back," Kai says, "Marina will be looking for us."

"Okay. I'll meet you down there. I have to figure out how to change back."

He releases me, "Right. You remember where the house is?"

"Yep."

Before I can protest, he leans in and kisses me. Soft and gentle. I kiss him back before it hits me. How long have I known him, a few hours? I can't do this. It goes against my morals. That I absolutely shattered when I was with Austin. I want this! No, I don't. Yes, I do! No. Nope. Absolutely not. I pull away and look down. He gently grasps my chin and pulls my face up. His eyes make me want to melt, he looks hurt and confused.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

I give a forced smile, "Nothing. There's just a lot going on, and I don't know if this," I gesture to me and to him, "is a good idea for me right now."

I don't want to explain that I don't feel comfortable kissing someone I just met. But I want to kiss him! I do. I really do. It feels so right to kiss him.

His expression becomes neutral, and he lets go of my chin, "I understand."

Clearly, he's upset. What did he say, mermaids fall in love very easily and very quickly? Is he falling in love with me? Am I falling in love with him?

"Kai, that's not what I-" I start, but he cuts me off.

"It's fine. I'll see you back at the house."

He turns and dives into the water without a backwards glance. I sigh and take a deep breath. It's for the best. I take off my bikini bottoms and wrap them around my wrist, and prepare myself for pain. I jump into the water, I'm engulfed in its warm caress. I cringe, hoping it doesn't hurt. A tingling sensation spreads up my legs, but it's not painful. I slowly open my eyes, and take in a deep breath. I'm okay! Glancing down, my shimmering tail gleams up at me. I give it a flick to pop my head up out of the water. I glance around, but the night is still. I paddle to the shore, and reach out to the shiny object. As soon as I pull it out of the sand, a crude net buried beneath the beach snaps up around me and lifts me high into a palm tree.

I scream, my change comes quickly. I grab my bikini bottoms as fast as I can and slide them on with quite some difficulty. I shift slightly, trying to make myself more comfortable, but I only make it worse. I take a few deep breaths, trying to remain calm. It's going to be okay. I'll be fine. I need to get help. I can't call for Kai. But he's the only one that knows where I am. At that moment, I hear footsteps crashing through the trees. Glancing in their direction, I notice torches being carried through the forest. Drunken shouts of joy fill the night air as a band of pirates emerges from the foliage.

"We got one!"

_**uh oh. who might the leader of these pirates be? I wonder... ;P thanks for reading! please remember to review, favorite, and follow! much loveeeeeeee**_


	12. Kidnapped

**Kidnapped**

Fear rises up through my body. What will these pirates do to me? I struggle against my net, but it's not budging. The crew huddles beneath me, the torches shining ghastly shadows on their already scarred faces. I hear pieces of different conversations.

"A girl?"

"She looks young."

"A human?"

"She's kind of hot."

"Why is she at the lagoon?"

A strong, familiar voice silences their chatter, "Move it!"

A man saunters his way through the crowd, until he stands directly underneath me. He raises his torch to the light, and recognition dawns on his face. I shoot daggers at him. I refuse to acknowledge that I have, in fact, seen him before.

He chuckles at me and turns to the rest of the pirates, "Smee!"

A voice pipes up from within the group, "Yes, Cap'n?"

Smee, as in Captain Hook's first mate?

"Let her down."

A short, fat man in a red cloth hat pushes his way out of the group to my tree, it really is him! He pushes his little round glasses up his nose and adjusts his too small blue and white striped shirt. Then that means that the familiar guy is… No. It can't be. I look down at him, his black hair shining in the torchlight. He glances up, I look away just as his deep blue eyes land on me. Captain Hook? At that moment, Smee gets the knot undone, and my net plummets to the ground. I let out a small shriek before I land in a pair of strong arms. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. He smiles at me, and drops me. I land with a thump on the ground. Ouch. He flashes a charming grin at me, and extends his hand.

"Captain James Hook, and you are?"

I glare up at him, and promptly spit in his face. His crew bursts out laughing, he looks furious as he wipes my spit off of his face. I revel in my small victory, but it is short lived. He backhands me across my right cheek with a crack that silences everyone. I cry out in pain, but I refuse to let even one tear appear.

"Tie her hands and gag her." Hook orders.

His crew, confused by the sudden turn of events, is sluggish in getting to me.

"Bring her to the ship!" Hook shouts, and with one last odd look at me, he strides away. He looked angry, but there was something else in his eyes I can't place.

The men approach me, some holding bits of rope and others strips of cloth. I try to get away, but I'm no match for these big guys. I kick my leg towards a burly guy with tattoos and an eyepatch, and succeed in knocking him to the ground. He lands with a grunt, but that's as far as I can get. Two of them grab my arms, and tie them behind my back with a rough piece of rope that slices my wrists.

I struggle against it, "Let go of me!"

"Shut your mouth, bitch."

Another stuffs a bit of cloth in my mouth that tastes like fish and sweat. I almost gag but hold it in, I suppose that's why these things are called "gags". I let out a loud string of expletives muffled by the cloth, but they get the general message. Some of them chuckle, and a few others reach down to pick me up. I lash out with my legs again, kicking one of them hard in the side of the head. He falls backwards, but another takes his place. How many are there? Gritting my teeth, I continue to writhe away from their hands. I almost make it to the water. I try as hard as I can get there, I'm so close I can almost taste it.

"Hook! She's getting away!" one of the men shouts.

Shit. Not him. They try to grab me again, but I roll past them. I get my head into the water, then my shoulders. I'm almost there! Maybe if I could just change… A pair of strong hands wrap around my ankles and pull hard. I let out an agonized cry as I'm pulled out of the water and directly onto Hook. He ties my ankles together, wraps his arm around my waist, and throws me over his shoulder without a word. I struggle against him but he doesn't let me go.

"Was that so hard?" he says to his crew. Full of himself would hardly begin to cover what his voice conveyed.

"Let's go."

He begins to walk into the forest, not loosening his grip at all. I squirm in his arms and punch his back, but it's pointless. After a while, I give up. Trying not to cry, I stare at the ground. This sucks. What's he going to do to me? What are they going to do to me? After a few more minutes, the trees begin to thin out and we're on sand again. A part of me thinks they're letting me go, but my hope is crushed when he drops me into a small wooden boat, complete with oars and splintery wood. Ouch. He sits down across from me without even a glance in my direction, and picks up the oars.

Then, I notice his left hand. It's a hook. I almost forgot. Captain James _Hook_. It's silver and gleams menacingly in the moonlight, it looks sharp enough to tear through human flesh, definitely. I shrink back a little, I'd rather not have my throat torn out by a hook. I turn my attention to his arms, which flex under his black leather trench coat as he rows. Okay, let's not look at his arms. Instead, I look at what he's wearing. Underneath his long black trench coat, he's wearing a black leather vest adorned with gold buckles, and black pants. He has tall black leather boots, and a belt with a massive golden buckle. On the belt is a revolver, and a sword with a diamond hilt. Very fancy.

Does this guy know who I am? He said that he "just wanted to see me for himself" when we first met. Does he know I'm a halfbreed? But why would that be important to him? Maybe he knows that Aleksander is looking for me. All I would have to do to escape would be to roll off the side of the boat, is it worth it? Would I be able to get out of my bindings? What if I drown? What if I can't change? Glancing around me, I can see the island fading away, and one boat with four men in each on either side of us. At that moment, the little boat bumps into something. Craning my neck to see what it is, I find that it's a ship. It's massive, and lit well with glowing lights from the windows. The crow's nest is adorned with the classic pirate flag, black with a white skull and crossbones that waves in the night air. Turning my attention back to Hook, I find him looking at me.

"Welcome to the Jolly Roger." he says with a charming grin.

After our boat is hauled onto the deck, Hook throws me over his shoulder again. I've given up trying to escape, I just hang over his shoulder as his crew looks on. If he wanted to kill me, he would have done that already. He pauses and turns to them, "Don't just stand there! Turk, cook dinner! Prepare the boats!"

His crew swings into action, and he walks away. He takes me below deck, enters a room, and throws me onto a wooden cot. I'm in the brig? The room is wooden with an iron gate and massive padlock. The cot is pushed into the far right corner of the room, and there is a bucket in the left. I'm hoping it's not what I think it's for.

He roughly pulls my gag over my head. I inhale a massive gulp of fresh air, thankful for the taste of something that isn't fish and sweat.

"Let's try this again, love," he says, menace creeping into his voice, "what is your name?"

I see no point in withholding that information now. I hold his stony gaze.

"Relia."

I may be hallucinating, but his eyes soften a bit.

"Well, Relia. I suppose I should explain why you get the privilege of sailing on the Jolly Roger."

The comment is out of my mouth before I can stop it, infused with sarcasm, "I wouldn't exactly call it a privilege."

Unexpectedly, he chuckles, "Feisty. I see. I'll choose to ignore your rude behavior. You're here to provoke Peter Pan. A member of my crew happened to see him flying away from the mountains with you in his arms, and him sitting with you on a rock in Mermaid Lagoon."

So that's what we heard crashing through the bushes. A smirk forms on his face, "He cares for you, so certainly he'll come to save you."

"Save me from what?"

"You'll see."

He stands and exits the room, turning to lock the gate. He gives me one last glance before striding away, and I'm alone.

Isn't this always Hook's goal? I shouldn't be surprised that he's using yet another girl to get to Peter. He needs a serious battle tactic makeover. I flop back against the cot, adjusting my body to make myself as comfortable as laying on a wooden board with bound limbs can get. All of that dropping has me a little sore, and my face still stings from when he slapped me. The boat rocks gently back and forth, I stare at the wooden ceiling. Almost immediately, my thoughts travel to Kai. I know I can't have him, and I shouldn't want him, but I do. The thing with Kai is that he's practically a prince, there's no way I could mate with him! He's sweet and funny and kind… He deserves a normal mermaid, not a halfbreed. It would make everything so much easier anyways, for both of us. Right.

At that moment, a knock on my gate jolts me from my thoughts. I look over to see a fat man with tattoos, a pale pink shirt, green pants, and tattered brown shoes. He has dark skin, a thick black mustache, gold earrings, and a small red fez adorning his large head.

"Dinner." he says, and slides the plate of food underneath my gate.

He walks away. I'm not going to eat that. I lay back on the cot, suddenly overtaken by a feeling of fatigue. Before I know it, the ship's movement has rocked me into a deep sleep.

* * *

A series of loud clangs awakes me from my slumber, followed by Hook's irritable voice.

"Get up!"

I slowly pry my eyes open to find him standing next to my gate, banging on it with his hook.

"I'm up." I mumble.

"Today's the day," he says with a grin, approaching me, "why aren't you as excited as I am?"

I rub my eyes, "The day for what?"

"The day I finally get my revenge on Peter Pan! I'm going to chop off his hand like he did to me. Or maybe his leg. Or, better yet, his head! Come along, love, we've got work to do."

Well, he's in a jovial mood. He picks me up and throws me over his shoulder, just like he did last night. My face is really sore now. Maybe it's bruised. He did hit me pretty hard. Hook marches out of the cell and up the stairs, back out into the daylight. The sun momentarily blinds me, he uses that time to toss me onto another poorly made net. As soon as I hit the floor, the net snaps up around me, painfully crunching my legs into a very small space. Again, I'm dangling above the heads of the crew members. The net is swung out over the water, and I'm hanging ten feet above the crystal blue waves.

"This is what you call torture?" I call down to Hook, who is standing on the deck, an amused smirk on his face.

"No, love, far from it. Smee?"

I glance around for the man, and I see him at the end of a piece of rope directly beneath me. The rope is attached to my net. He looks up at me, a bit of sorrow in his eyes. What is he about to do? He pulls a small stick out of his pocket, and swipes it along a bit of sand paper. Then I realize what it is. It's a match. He lightly sets the tip of it onto my rope below me, it quickly is set ablaze. They're going to burn me alive.

**_well crap. anyone in the mood for barbecue? hahahaha sorry not funny. if you enjoyed, please review, favorite, and follow! see ya next chapter :)_**


	13. the Lost Boys

**the Lost Boys**

A light plume of smoke begins to waft into the air, the rope is burning surprisingly fast. Soon it'll reach my net, and I'll become barbecue. This is not good. I need to get out of the net and into the water. I can change and get back to Kai. I try to pull the net apart, or rip it. I even use my teeth. All the while, the smell of smoke is filling the air and my lungs. I cough a little bit, the net isn't budging. I look up to the top of the net that is secured to the mast, it's as knotted as the rest of the net is. The smoke is making me a little lightheaded, I'm fighting for consciousness. I have to get out. I kick against the net, desperately trying to break free. It's so difficult with my bindings. My throat is burning. I can feel myself losing my grip on reality.

All of a sudden, I'm falling. The smoke wisps lightly through the blue sky as I drop towards the deck. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrap around me, and I soar back up into the sky.

"Dammit, Pan!" Hook's distant shout reaches my ears from the deck below.

I hear a chuckle in my ear as we speed back towards the island over the waves. Peter? I slip into unconsciousness, my world fading to black.

* * *

I awake to a dim commotion of voices.

"Hey guys, back up. Give her air."

I crack my eyes open to find seven pairs of eyes staring at me.

"She's awake!" one shouts.

Suddenly the room is thrown into chaos, it seems no one knows what to do. Finally, Peter clears the young boys out of the room and turns to me, heaving an exasperated sigh.

"Sorry," he flashes an apologetic smile, "they don't know how to behave themselves around ladies."

I let out a small giggle that turns into a wheezing cough. A look of worry crosses Peter's face as he rushes to me, patting me lightly on the back until it goes away. I lean into him, thankful for his support. My throat is so incredibly dry, it hurts to breathe.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Hook was attempting to get revenge on me. As usual, it didn't work, but if I hadn't come he would have put out the fire anyways. He was bluffing."

"You weren't the one in the net." I reply bitterly.

I can still feel the heat of the flames crawling up my arms, and the ache of my cheek.

He chuckles, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'd just like-" I break into another coughing fit, the kind that makes you feel as if you're coughing up a lung.

He waits patiently until I'm done, soothingly rubbing my back.

"A glass of water." I finish.

"Of course!" he responds, shooting up from the bed so quickly I almost fall over.

"Be right back."

He flies through the curtain that separates the room, leaving me alone. I glance around, taking in the smooth wooden walls with shelves carved straight into them. They hold different knick-knacks and a few books. I'm sitting on a reasonably comfy bed, cloaked in cotton sheets and skins that look like they're from a bear. The pillows are very fluffy, and there is a bear pelt on the floor, serving as a rug. Overall, the room is pretty bare. The door is covered by yet another bear skin pelt that blocks my view of the room beyond. I'm wearing a soft cotton shirt over my bikini that's rather large on me. Is it Peter's?

At the moment, the curtain moves, and a little boy steps through. He freezes as he notices my eyes on him, his little face looking as terrified as it could get. He has wavy blond hair, light green eyes, and a cherub-like face with rosy cheeks. He's dressed similarly to Peter: a white shirt, brown pants, little black boots, and a small dagger that hangs on his belt. He couldn't be older than eight.

I smile at him, "Hello."

He gives a nervous smile back, but that terrified look does leave his eyes a little, "Hi."

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Bunny." he responds.

"Bunny?" I repeat, "That's a nice name."

Now he beams at me, and takes a step forward, "What's your name?"

"Relia." I reply.

"What's wrong with your face?"

That takes me aback, my indignation must come across as anger to him. He bolts out of the room without a backwards glance. That was odd. What's wrong with my face? I glance around the room for a mirror, and find none. The pelt moves again, this time it's Peter. He's holding a small wooden cup, which he extends to me.

"Here."

"Thanks." I take a sip, the cool water rushes down my throat and clears away the remains of the smoke. Before I know it, I drain the small cup without a drop to spare.

"Thirsty, are we?" Peter grins.

I laugh, "Maybe a little. Almost being burned alive can do that to you."

He laughs too, "Come on. You have some fans that are very eager to meet you."

Fans? He holds out his hand for me, and I take it. I gingerly get up from the bed, and he leads me to the door. We exit the room, and we emerge into a larger area that I could best describe as a studio loft. It is also smooth wood, with a few built in shelves along the walls. Directly in front of us is a couch-looking thing that actually looks pretty comfortable. Beyond that is mountain of worn brown beanbags, above it is chute. In the right corner of the room is a table, behind it is a door. There are two other doors along the right wall, with a wooden spiral staircase leading to a trap door in the ceiling. After taking in my surroundings, my eyes land on the boys seated on the couch. There are six of them, all wearing the same expression of curious excitement.

"Boys," Peter says, a commanding, but kind, tone in his voice, "roll!"

The boys scamper up from their seats and make a neat line in front of us, standing at attention in order from tallest to shortest, staring straight ahead. They're all wearing clothes that resemble a commoner, loose and dully colored.

"Slightly!" the tallest boy shouts. He's skinny, with long blonde hair that falls into his hazel eyes.

"Nibs!" says the second boy. He's shorter than the first, with light brown hair and pale green eyes.

"Cubby!" the third calls. He's definitely chubbier than the rest of the boys, he reminds me of a teddy bear. He has dark brown eyes and ginger hair.

"Twins!" two identical boys shout in unison. They both have jet black hair and emerald green eyes.

"Bunny!" the last boy shouts, the one who came into my room. His voice shows that he is trying to sound tough, despite being the smallest of the group. At the last second, his eyes flash over to mine. They're filled with curiosity. I give him a small smile, and I see the ghost of one on his face.

I turn my gaze back to Peter, who is grinning at me.

"Your turn."

A light blush creeps up my cheeks, I turn to the boys, who are all staring at me.

"Uh, Relia?"

I turn my quizzical look to Peter, who looks like he can't hold his explosive laughter in much longer.

"Perfect," he says, "absolutely perfect."

He swallows his laughter, his face growing serious, "This is your home now. You'll be safe here."

Right now, that's sounding pretty good.

"At ease, gentlemen." Peter says, a teasing tone in his voice.

Almost immediately, Nibs says, "Can we go now?"

Peter chuckles at his whiny tone, "Almost. Suit up and we'll head out."

The boys scatter, shouts of joy fill the air.

Peter turns to me, a familiar spark in his eyes. He's always happy.

"You," he taps me on the nose, "are going to stay here."

"Where are you going?" I ask. I don't want to be left alone.

"On an adventure." he responds.

A pout forms on my face, "Well, what do I do?"

He glances around the room, "Clean?"

I place my hands on my hips, "Really?"

He matches my stance, a smile tugging at his lips, "Really. We'll be back soon."

"Okay, but you have to answer one question for me first."

"What's that?" he asks, childish curiosity leaking into his voice.

"Where's your leaf costume?"

He laughs, and jumps into the air, "That's a story for later."

He flies towards the chute in the ceiling, "Move out!"

The boys, now each brandishing a weapon, bolt up the wooden staircase and out the trapdoor. I turn around to look back at Peter, but he's already right behind me. I give a small gasp, and he laughs.

"Sorry. Be safe, _please_ stay here. It's really important that you do." he ruffles my hair and turns, flying up the chute.

The room is silent. I glance around, I suppose it is kind of messy. There are dirty plates littering the table, the couch's pillows are scattered around the room, and there are various items that seem like they shouldn't be on the floor. Case in point? The samurai sword. Heaving a sigh, I step forward to the couch. It's just large pieces of fabric sewed together. I sit down, becoming absorbed in the softness of the fabric, and sinking into the plush cushions. I stand before I can get too comfortable, knowing that I might never get up. I walk around the room, picking up the pillows. With my arms so full I can barely see over them, I make my way back to the couch. I set them down, making them look as orderly as possible, and set about looking behind the doors for where to put the other things I find.

The door behind the table at the opposite end of the room leads into a kitchen. I walk back outside and grab the dirty plates, putting them into the tin bucket that is serving as a sink on the other side of the kitchen. There are rags, plates, cups, bowls, and silverware stacked on shelves along the wall, and various foods stacked around them. There is some serious ordering needed here. I put the food on the floor and fix up the plates and bowls, organizing the silverware and cups. After I keep them contained on half of the shelves, I reorganize the food. There are breads, apples, dried meats, and nuts. There isn't a refrigerator in sight. Well, when you live in a tree, I suppose there isn't electricity. I fix up the food, and go to wash the dishes. There is a small trapdoor on the wall above the sink, with a string attached. I lightly pull the string, and as expected, clean water comes pouring out. I quickly rinse the dishes, and place them onto their stacks. I go back into the main room, humming a song that doesn't have any particular origin.

A sounds stops me in my tracks and makes my blood run cold. A howl. Those molten gold eyes flash through my mind, I shake my head to get rid of the image. Several more howls pierce the air, sounding closer than the one before. But the weird thing is, they're above my head. Am I underground?

I take a deep breath, rubbing away the goosebumps that have formed along my arms. Peter said I'm safe here, and I trust him. I enter the next room, six beds. All of them are unmade, with clothes strewn about the sheets. I set to work making the beds and folding the clothes, placing them at the foot of each one. I exit the room and go into the room next to the spiral staircase, where the boys went earlier. It's a weapons room, the walls are lined with swords, daggers, slingshots, and arrows. There are dummies and targets pushed against the far wall, and the center of the room is bare. I walk back into the main room and pick up the samurai sword, entering the weapons room and placing it on the wall. I enter the main room and survey the area, there is only one more thing on the floor. I walk over to it, and pick it up. It's a unicorn figurine made of black marble. I feel a pang in my heart as I think of Knight, this statue looks just like him. The horn is white like the star on his forehead, and the statue's features replicate him down to the last hair. The only difference is that this horse looks cruel. With its big stature, it's terrifying. I don't put it back on a shelf, but I carry it with me to the couch where I sit. I gently trace the statue's mane and tail, feeling a wave of homesickness. The howling has died out, there are no more wolves in the area. As soon as I let myself relax, however, children's shouts fill the air.

"Relia! Relia!"

A rumbling noise from the chute draws my attention to it, the Lost Boys tumble through and land on the pillows beneath.

"It's Peter." Cubby says, the first to slide through.

"He's hurt." the twins add, matching looks of fear on their faces.

"Where is he?" I ask, worry creeping into my voice.

The chute continues to shake as more lost boys tumble through. The last is Peter, supported by Slightly. Slightly, to his credit, allows Peter to land on top of him as they come through the chute. His torn shirt is stained with blood, and his face is pale. He's barely conscious.

I glance around to see their eyes trained on me, waiting for instruction. I straighten my spine and meet their gazes.

"Bring him to the couch."

They swing into action, but I'm about to pass out.

I rush into the kitchen and snatch the rag I saw earlier, soaking it in water from the trapdoor. I come back into the main room to see Peter laying on the couch, it seems the blood has spread farther than it was a minute ago. I gently take off what is left of his shirt, hit with a sense of deja vu as I remember the last time I did this. That time he had been shot, this time, he's been bitten. The bite is already infected, it takes up most of his left side. It's deep and bloody. I can clearly see where each sharp tooth penetrated his skin and was dragged out. Almost as if the attacker meant to inflict as much damage as possible. Again, those golden eyes flash in my head. No. I gently lean forward and press the cool water against the wound. Peter awakens with a sharp gasp of pain, his eyes darting around the room before landing on me.

"Relia." he slurs, as if his brain can't function properly.

He winces as I continue to lightly clean up the blood. I gently run my hand up and down his arm.

"It'll be okay. You're safe."

He loosely takes my hand in his, his eyes fluttering closed.

"Safe." he whispers, before drifting back into unconsciousness.

Almost without thinking, I lean forward and kiss his forehead. He's hot and sweating, a fever has taken over.

"It was a werewolf," Slightly says next to me, "their bite is poisonous. If we don't get the cure, he'll die."

I hand my wet cloth to Nibs, and show him how to dab at his wound. Not that it's doing any good. I take Slightly's arm and pull him towards the table, away from the boys. Their expressions are heartbreaking as they stand around him, they really do love Peter.

"What do you know about werewolf bites?" I ask him, trying to keep my voice low.

"All I know is that they're deadly if they go untreated. But there's a cure."

"Well, where is it?"

He shifts uncomfortably, "The last I heard, Hook's men stole it for themselves. It's on his ship."

My heart sinks. How will we get it then? I glance back over at Peter and the boys, noticing little Bunny on the verge of tears.

I take a deep breath, "I'll get it."

"Relia, that's a suicide mission. If Hook already did _that_ to you," he says, pointing at my cheek, "there's no telling what would happen if he caught you on his ship."

My hand goes up to my cheek, which is still throbbing painfully. I had been able to ignore it until now.

"What's wrong with it?" I ask.

"You don't know?"

My expression must be one of _no, duh_, because he continues hastily.

"It's really badly bruised. Like, green, purple, and black bruised. Did Hook do that to you?"

I think back to when he kidnapped me, and slapped me.

I lightly touch it, my voice comes out as a quiet whisper, "Yes."

"That village is full of men who will do who knows what to a girl like you, and Hook is dangerous. Especially when you make him mad. Peter won't be there to help you this time, and we don't have Terence, either."

"Who's Terence?"

He awkwardly looks away, "Nobody. I don't want you to go. Peter wouldn't want you to go."

I place my hands on my hips, "Well, Peter doesn't have much of a say in this, does he? Do you have a better idea?"

He's quiet for a moment, then he looks back up at me, "No."

"Then it's settled. I'll leave at dawn."

_***eye of the tiger plays in the background* Relia's gonna get the cure and she's gonna save Peter! we can hope, at least.. please remember to review, favorite, and follow! thank you! 3**_


	14. the Cure

**the Cure**

Slightly decides the best course of action is to dress me like a boy, and make me remain inconspicuous as I get to Hook's ship. When the men get off the ship for a drink at the pub, I'll sneak on, grab the cure, and get off before they come back. The only problem is, I have no clue what the cure looks like or where it is. I tuck my long, now knotted brown hair up into a pageboy cap the boys have laying around, and pull on some of Peter's clothes. They're a bit big on me, but they smell like him. In the end, I'm wearing a big white shirt, some loose-fitting brown pants, and leather boots that are too big on my feet. Oh well. There are no mirrors here, so there's no telling how convincing I look. But the boys assure me I look perfectly manly, and Slightly prepares his backpack for the trek to the village. He's insisted on being my escort.

"Ready?" he asks, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Almost."

I cross over to Peter, who we wrapped with bandages last night. I gently brush his hair off of his face. He awakens again with a sharp gasp, his eyes finding mine.

"Why are you wearing my clothes?" he mumbles.

"I'm just going to run an errand." I say, my stomach twisting as I lie to him.

"Mmm," he sighs, "don't go outside."

"Why not?"

"Because, Aleksander…" he slips back into his dream world before he can finish his sentence.

"What was he going to say about Aleksander?" I ask Slightly.

"I don't know." he responds, shrugging.

Well, it's nothing I can't handle. I turn and wave goodbye to the boys, and make my way towards the staircase with Slightly. Bunny comes barreling into my legs, hugging my thighs fiercely. I turn and bend down to him, and he wraps me in a hug. I can already tell he's crying.

"You'll be fine. I'll be back soon." I say, rubbing his back.

He sniffs and pulls away, wiping his eyes, "Please find the cure."

I smile at him, "I will. Promise."

I hold out my pinky, and he takes it in his. My promise makes him smile through his tears. With one last glance at Peter asleep on the couch, Slightly and I climb the staircase into a new world. We unlatch the trapdoor and climb out, Slightly first, and he places it back in its hole in the ground.

"How does nobody find it?" I ask. The trapdoor isn't exactly camouflaged.

"That's the thing," Slightly says, a spark in his eyes, "the hideout moves every night. We don't know how, but the island feels the need to protect Peter."

We start to walk through the lush forest, the sun is just beginning to rise. Slightly seems to know exactly where he's going, so I follow without questions.

"So how do you find it once it moves again?"

"The island points the way, but only for those with good hearts. If one has bad intentions, the island will keep us hidden."

"Interesting."

We walk in silence, Slightly holding up the leaves of large plants so I can pass.

"How long will our walk take?"

Slightly is quiet for a moment, thinking, "The island has made our distance short for us, we should be very close. The hideout is hidden only ten minutes from the village, if we walk in this direction."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. You develop that sense of direction the longer you live on the island. Peter's very good with that, you know."

We lapse into silence again, all that can be heard is the squawking of birds and the sound of our boots stepping on the damp ground. Soon enough, the smells of smoke and food waft through the air. The sun has risen a little more, it's time for breakfast. As if to remind me, my stomach rumbles a little bit. Thankfully Slightly doesn't notice.

"We're close," he says quietly, crouching on the ground, "get down."

I get low next to him and we shuffle forward, "No one is brave enough to go into the woods except for the Lost Boys, the people will know who we are if they see us coming out of the forest."

"Why does it matter?" I ask.

"Hook has a bounty on our heads. The townspeople need the money, so if they find us they'll bring us to him. Our whole mission will be compromised."

"I understand."

We get to the very edge of the trees, and duck behind a bush. Slightly peers over the top of it, and motions for me to join him. I look over the top of the bush at the narrow alley. Many bars back up to it, so it's deserted and full of trash. I can smell it from here. The buildings are made of wood, with chimneys of stone. This place is very uncivilized.

"When no one is in this back alley, you need to start walking. Get out of the alley and into the streets, keep your head down. If you get out of this alley and walk straight, it'll lead you right to the docks. Do you remember what Hook's ship looks like?"

I nod my head.

"Wait until the men get off of the ship, then get on. Find the cure and get out before they find you."

Slightly gives me an awkwardly reassuring pat on the shoulder, and disappears back into the trees. I take a deep breath, and start walking down the hill to the alley. My feet hit the hard-packed dirt of the streets. Keeping my head down, I emerge from the alley and onto the main street. It's not very busy, everyone is eating breakfast. I keep my walk fast-paced. I pass identical rows of bars and houses, each made of wood and smelling delicious. I haven't eaten in a few days now. Before I know it, I'm stopping to look through the open window of a bakery.

A woman is inside behind the counter, taking a tray of fresh muffins out of the oven. She is wearing a white apron, and a plain brown dress. She has a white bonnet around her brown hair, streaked with gray. She sets the tray on the counter, and gently removes each muffin from the tray and onto a platter. Then she looks up, and our eyes lock. Hers are a deep, warm, brown. She smiles at me.

"Are you hungry?"

"Uh, no, I'm fine." I respond, and begin to back away from the window.

She plucks a muffin from the platter and approaches me slowly, my feet are rooted to the dirt road. She hands the muffin to me.

I try to hand it back to her, "I don't have any money. I can't pay for this."

"It's alright. I can tell you're hungry, a full stomach is all the payment I need."

I'm quiet, it's not like I'm going to deny the fact that I really do just want to eat this muffin in one bite.

"Thank you." I say.

She smiles at me, "You're welcome. I hope you enjoy it."

I smile at her, turn away, and continue my walk down the street. I slowly unwrap it and take a small bite, it's blueberry. The sugar melts on my tongue, the heat of the muffin warms my stomach. Before I can stop myself, I've eaten it all. The few people out on the streets don't acknowledge me, and for that I'm thankful. They move at a slow pace. They're probably half asleep, it's still early. I throw my wrapper away in a trash can outside of a pub.

Hook's ship is the biggest, it's not hard to spot it. I slowly walk forward, trying to figure out if the crew is on board. I don't hear anything, so I hesitantly step onto the gangplank. It creaks a little, but there is no other sound from the ship. I get on to the deck. I spot the door that leads to the brig where I was kept. I have to be quick about this. I have no idea where the cure could be located.

I step towards the first door, but it's locked. I try the next door, and it opens. Stepping inside, it leads to a staircase. I climb down into the darkness, fumbling for a light switch before I realize there probably isn't one. In the dim light, I can only make out large shapes. Maybe I'm in a cargo hold? I reach out to touch one, and am met with wood. A crate. I turn around, knowing I won't be able to find anything down here in the dark. I have to hurry.

I open the door and walk back out into the light. There is a man exiting a door on the other side of the deck. It's Hook. I freeze, but he sees me.

"Who the hell are you?"

Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. I try to lower my voice as much as possible.

"I, uh, I'm looking for work. Are you the captain here?"

"Work," he strides across the deck and rips the cap off of my head, sending my brown hair tumbling down my back, "for a woman?"

He pauses as he sees the bruise on my cheek, his eyes inquisitively squinting at me, "Oh, you're the lass that escaped, aye? What, you came back for more?"

"No, I just…"

What do I say? Oh, your mortal enemy is dying and I need you to give me the cure. Pretty please?

"Just, what?" he asks, shifting his weight and smirking.

"I wanted to work for you." I blurt.

He narrows his eyes, "Oh?"

"I, uh, Peter turned out not to be so great after all, and I guess I just, um, I wanted to come see you because you're the only one that hates him as much as I do."

That was pretty unconvincing. He chuckles, "I'm fairly certain that's impossible, love. No need to lie to me. Consider yourself prisoner."

"Prisoner?"

He shoots me a wicked grin, before whipping out a revolver and shooting my right leg. The bullet pierces the skin just above my knee, tears through my muscles, and exits through the back of my calf. I crumple to the wooden deck of the ship with a strangled gasp. He just shot me. He just _shot_ me. My leg is now burning with a tingly, painful fire. A pool of blood is forming beneath me, seeping through Peter's pants in a stain growing substantially larger by the second.

"Why-" I gasp.

"Now you can't leave," he says simply, "care to tell me the real reason you're here?"

I'm scared to touch my leg. I can see a clear circle through the torn fabric that I don't want to get closer to. I feel like I'm going to be sick. A wave of nausea hits me, and my head throbs with dizziness.

"Ah, that's all right. I'm sure you don't need your other leg, either."

"Wait!"

He pauses, cocking his head and looking down at me. I see the bloody bullet on the ground beneath me, which is enough to send my vision spinning. I fall back against the deck before I get a chance to answer. It's too dark to see anything. I lose consciousness.

_**well that's not good. poor Relia. what's Hook gonna do? dum dum **_**_dummmmmmmmm... I hope liked it! please review, favorite, and follow! byeee_**


	15. Captain's Cabin

**Captain's Cabin**

It's cold. I'm covered in silky sheets and am lying on my back. The thing that wakes me up, however, is the throbbing ache of my leg and face. I pry my eyes open to discover a richly decorated bedroom, with deep red velvet curtains that are pulled open to let the little light that's outside in. From what I can see, the sky is gray and cloudy. I'm wearing Peter's clothing, but his pants have been torn to my mid thigh to reveal the crisp white bandages covering my right leg. I try to shift a little, but a screaming agony in my leg causes me to let out a sharp gasp of pain. Which causes the man next to me to shift in his sleep. I have to bite back another scream. What the hell is a guy doing in my bed? Then I reconsider. This isn't my bed. Is it his? But hey, he's kind of cute. Strong jawline with just the right amount of stubble, thick black hair… Oh my god. It's Hook. Ew. I totally just checked him out. Captain Hook is sleeping next to me? He doesn't look as harsh when he's asleep.

I need to get out of here. I have to get to Peter. I have to get the cure! But where is it? As if answering my thoughts, a bottle sitting on a desk at the opposite end of the room draws my attention. A little voice in my head is telling me that it's the cure. The bottle is the size of my pinky, and is made of blue glass that shows the clear liquid within. I have to find out if that liquid really is the cure. Already, a plan starts to form in my head. My eyes flick back over to Hook, who, to his credit, is sleeping on top of the sheets. At least he has a little courtesy. Memories come flooding in; the gun, the pain, the blood. I can't move without feeling an intense pain in my leg, so I lay still and wait, watching Hook sleep. He's shirtless, which gives me a pretty nice view of his broad chest and big arms, with a few battle scars here and there. He's not wearing his hook. He really does look peaceful, his features aren't as cruel as they are when he's awake. He's a good-looking guy overall, I suppose. All of a sudden, his eyes snap open with a gasp, making me jump. It sends shocking pain through my legs, I let out a small cry of pain that causes worry to flash through Hook's groggy eyes. I take deep breaths, willing the pain to go away.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, my voice hoarse.

"This is my room," he says with a smirk, his worry about me forgotten, maybe I imagined it, "I believe the question is, what are _you_ doing here?"

I pause, "I don't know."

He gives me an odd look and turns away, standing and crossing to the wardrobe in the far corner of the room. He opens it and removes a light cotton shirt, which he slides over his head. Just then, there's a knock on the door. Hook makes an irritated noise and walks to the door, which he pulls open. He blocks the opening so I can't see who's outside. He begins to speak to whoever it is, I think it's a man, I can't make out what he's saying. Finally, Hook turns and enters the room again. There is a tray laden with food, biscuits, bacon, eggs, and two cups of orange juice. My stomach rumbles loud enough for Hook to hear, he chuckles as he sets the tray on the desk.

"Hungry?"

"Uh-huh."

I haven't eaten a full meal in days, only a blueberry muffin. He picks up a piece of bacon and pops it into his mouth, and brings me my cup of orange juice. How am I supposed to drink this? I can barely move as it is. He holds it out to me and I take it, barely being able to lift my head from the pillow. I dumbly hold on to it, not sure what to do.

"Do you know how to drink?" he asks, a mocking tone in his voice.

His tone makes me get angry, so mine is full of more malice than I intend, "I'm kind of immobile thanks to you, so I'm sorry for not being able to drink orange juice, _Captain_."

He looks a little taken aback by my sudden harshness, "Then I hope you have a grand time starving."

With that, he picks up the tray of food and strides out of the room, leaving me alone with my cup of juice. Dammit. I prop the cup against his pillows. My leg doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did when I woke up, I was probably just stiff from sleeping. I tentatively slide higher up the bed, but stop myself when it begins to hurt. Maybe my wounds aren't as horrible as I thought. My stomach rumbles again, a reminder that the breakfast Hook walked out with was actually much needed.

I pull the sheets over myself. I survey the room, it really is nicely decorated. The walls are wooden, with a heavily marked map of what I can only assume is Neverland hung on the wall next to the wardrobe. The desk is a clutter of paper and ink quills, with the bottle sitting on the back corner. Next to the mirror. I can barely recognize myself. My entire right cheek is black and blue with a huge, painful bruise. My hair is messy and knotted. I lightly comb my fingers through it, working out the knots.

At that moment, there is a knock on the door. I can't exactly get up to answer it, so I hesitantly call, "Come in?"

It is cracked open by and older man with kind, watery blue eyes. He smiles at me and I cautiously smile back. He's holding a bottle and strips of gauze, along with a biscuit and a steaming mug. He closes the door behind him.

"I noticed the Captain storming away with breakfast, you never got any, did you?"

"No, I didn't." I respond.

He approaches me and hands me the biscuit. I thankfully take a huge bite, it's warm and buttery. Yum.

"Thank you." I say around the pastry.

He chuckles, "Of course." He picks up my orange juice and places it on the desk, next to the mug of coffee. I finish my biscuit and wipe my hands on Hook's side of the bed. A small bit of revenge, but it's revenge all the same.

The old man extends his hand to me, and I take it, "I'm Henry, but most people call me Bones."

"Why Bones?" I ask curiously.

"I'm the ship surgeon, Bones is fitting for me and my occupation, I presume."

"I'm Relia." I reply.

"It's nice to meet you. I just need to check your stitches, and I'll be on my merry way."

"Uh, okay."

Henry gently unwraps my bindings. What am I about to see? The first wound is slightly swollen, making my knee look much larger than it is. A circular injury, about one inch in diameter, has been carefully cleaned and stitched. One on the back of my calf is a little larger and messier. Both are a little red around the edges, but otherwise, they don't look horrible. They just burn. Very badly.

After a few minutes of silence, he says, "You're healing very well. You'll be able to walk soon. I thought you would be out for a longer time, but it's only been a day."

"A day?!" I gasp, Peter might die soon if I can't get that cure to him. If I can't walk, how can I?

"Please don't move too suddenly, you'll rip your stitches. What's wrong?"

"I-" I bite my tongue. I don't want to tell Henry about Peter being sick yet, he works for Hook after all.

He's quiet for a moment, "Peter's sick, isn't he?"

I stiffen, "What are you talking about?"

"The island has dropped into winter, which can only mean something bad has happened to him."

Something about this old man makes me want to trust him, so I take a deep breath, "It's a werewolf bite. I came here to get the cure for him."

He stills in his movements, "A werewolf bite? How many days has he been sick?"

"Today, it'll be three."

"He doesn't have much time, then." he mutters to himself more than to me.

"Can you help me?" I ask.

"I-" he pauses, as if choosing his words, "The captain wants Peter dead, but then he would have nothing to live for. Especially if Peter doesn't die by his own hand. I will help you. The captain won't like it, but in the end, it's for the best."

We fall silent, him continuing to poke and prod my stitches. Satisfied, he takes the gauze and rewraps my leg. Then, he crosses to the desk and picks up the bottle, just as I suspected.

"This," he holds the bottle up to the dim sunlight so it shimmers, "is the cure for a werewolf bite. I'll make sure this gets to him."

I relax back onto the bed, "Thank you."

He smiles at me and tucks the bottle into his jacket.

"I'll be back later to check on you."

"Okay."

He turns and exits through the door, closing it behind him. With Peter safe, I fall asleep.

_**poor Relia. gunshot wounds are no fun. at least she and Peter have something in common! sorry not funny XD well I'll see you next chapter, thank you for being awesome and reading! please review, favorite, and follow 3**_


	16. Nightmares

**Nightmares**

The door is cracked open, and Henry steps inside. He has a solemn look on his face.

"What's wrong?" I ask, a knot forming in my stomach.

"It's Peter," he sighs, "we weren't able to get the cure to him on time."

My world stops. The cold seeps into my body and I don't try to fight it, my thoughts come and go, like a stop motion film. Peter. Dead. Bunny. Alone. I failed. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out the cabin, the world, everything. I feel a wetness on my face. I open my eyes to find myself in the middle of the forest, it's raining. A figure sits on the ground beneath a tree, shivering in the cold air. It's Bunny, staring into space. I rush forward to help him, but he doesn't move or blink. He just stares. He has prominent dark circles under his eyes, he's covered in dirt, and his clothes are in tatters.

"Bunny? Bunny, answer me."

He extends a hand and points in the direction he's staring at. A small stone sits in front of us, I didn't notice it before. There are words written on it: _Peter Pan_. It's a gravestone.

A howl pierces the air, followed by a few more. They're close. I glance down at Bunny, but he's staring in a new direction. I follow his gaze to find a wolf. It's massive, with a jet black coat, sharp fangs, and molten gold eyes.

It's him.

He crouches, baring his teeth. Bunny lets out a terrified whimper. Then it pounces with a mighty roar, Bunny screams my name.

* * *

I awake with a jolt, the nightmare fading into the darkness. Tears are streaming down my cheeks, soaking my pillow. The ship's cabin is as cold as ever. I huddle beneath the sheets, trying to stay warm. I'm shivering uncontrollably, my teeth chattering together. Calm down. It was just a dream. Turning my head, I find Hook sleeping next to me. This time, underneath the covers. It's that cold, I suppose. He has an extra blanket draped over him, he looks quite warm. Slowly, I shift my weight closer to him. I can feel the heat radiating off of him, it's like a blanket. I softly press my back against his bare chest, thankful for the soothing heat he provides. I pull his blanket over me. He wakes up then, with a soft moan. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me deeper into his chest. He sighs into my hair and falls back asleep. Soon enough, I muster up the courage to sleep, too.

* * *

Slightly's face is one of pure fury, he grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me hard.

"Why did you let him die! How could you do that to us! We trusted you, Relia!"

I can't get away, he won't let go.

"I'm sorry!" I shout, tears forming at the corners of my eyes.

"Sorry? _Sorry_? Sorry doesn't begin to cover what you've done. You've killed him, this is all your fault. If he hadn't been trying to protect you he wouldn't have gotten bitten in the first place!"

"I'm sorry!"

That's all I can seem to say.

"You're going to be punished." Slightly growls.

With one swift movement, he pushes me by the shoulders, and I fall backwards into a pit. I shriek as I fall, the tunnel of light above growing smaller and smaller until I can't see it anymore.

"Relia! Wake up!"

I wake up screaming. Hook is on top of me, shaking me by the shoulders, worry creasing his tired brow. I burst into tears, sobs wrack my body. I really did kill him. Henry never was going to give Peter the cure, he tricked me. Hook heaves a sigh and mutters something that sounds like, "Bloody hell."

He pulls me into his chest, rocking back and forth as I cry.

"It's all my fault."

"What's your fault?"

"He's going to die because of me. They won't have a leader anymore. They'll be alone. Bunny…" I sniff, my tears slowing.

He stiffens, "Who is going to die?"

I can't tell him about Peter. What am I doing? I pull myself off of him and wipe away my tears quickly, pulling my sheet up to my chest to block out the frigid air.

"No one. I was just dreaming."

He quirks an eyebrow at me, "Okay, love. I'll be going back to sleep then."

Seriously? I know he's a pirate, but I thought he would have a heart at least. He probably just wanted me to shut up so he could go back to bed. I need to stop thinking everything he does is out of kindness. Dawn is approaching quickly, the horizon is beginning to light up in an orange glow. There is no way in hell I'm going back to bed. He leans back against his pillows and turns away from me, pulling his blanket around his shoulders. I lay back against the bed, not bothering to get comfortable. Soon, Hook's breathing evens out, and he's asleep.

I slowly push myself up into sitting position, my leg complaining at my movements. I place my feet on the cold wooden floor. Taking a deep breath, I stand up from the bed, gritting my teeth. Hunched like an old woman, I take a few hobbling steps towards the window. I can put weight on my leg if I don't do too much, but it's feeling a lot better than what it did yesterday. I reach it and peer through. We're still docked. The village is right in front of me, I can almost taste that blueberry muffin. Beyond it, the jungle of Neverland grows wild and unkempt, keeping Peter from me and the cure.

With one last glance at Hook's sleeping form, I pull on my boots, open the door, and step into the crisp morning air. Instantly, the wind penetrates the little covering I have on, and I'm freezing. It seems the island is growing colder by the day. Snow will fall soon, it's in the air. I smack right into somebody, it's Henry.

His eyes grow wide, "What are you - why can - how are you able to walk?"

His stunned gaze makes me feel uncomfortable, "Am I not supposed to?"

Henry shakes his head, "No, no my dear. You weren't supposed to be walking for another week, at least! With that bullet wound he inflicted on you, it's a miracle you can even move. You're healing faster than a pixie!"

"I'm what?"

He pauses, speaking to me as if I'm two, "Pixies have special healing properties, their bodies can heal things like a broken bone in a matter of days."

I let that sink in, "Wow."

He chuckles, "Wow, indeed."

I take him lightly by the arm, and pull him away from Hook's door.

"Did you get the cure to-"

Hook's doors are thrown open with a force that almost rips them from their hinges. His expression is one of worry and anger, but it melts as soon as he sees Henry and I standing outside of his door. Was that relief that just flickered in his eyes? I hold his burning gaze, refusing to look down at his heaving bare chest just inches in front of my face. I have to remember that he doesn't care. He doesn't. He can't.

"What are you doing out here?" he asks, still slightly upset.

"Henry is taking me in to town." I lie quickly.

Something that looks like worry flashes through his eyes before it is replaced by the usual: annoyance and that slight hint of arrogance.

Henry shoots me an irritated glance, "Just for some clothes, Captain."

Hook turns his eyes away from me and focuses on the kind man, if looks could kill.

"We'll be back before noon." Henry says, trying to soothe the pirate. He's not afraid of him, and Hook senses it.

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, "Fine. That's just bloody fine."

He turns and strides into his cabin, slamming the doors behind him.

"Come on, then." Henry says.

We slowly make our way down the gangplank, my leg hindering my movements quite a bit, my arms stinging with the cold air. This is going to be a long day.

"I'm sorry." I blurt, as soon as we're out of earshot.

He sighs, "It's alright. I know why you did it," he responds, finally taking in my mismatched outfit, "we might as well get you some clothes anyways."

We finally make it to the village, we waste no time in getting clothes. Henry and I settle on a tight fitting, loose sleeved white shirt, with a red sash tied around the waist. We select a pair of tan breeches, and knee high black leather boots. We walk to the bathhouse at the end of the village, it backs right up to the forest. I glance into the trees, seeing a little movement by a bush. It's nothing. I duck into the bathhouse and take a much needed bath, my leg stinging with the clean water. After I soap up and wash my hair, I dry off and climb out. There's a full length mirror along one wall of the dingy place, my stitches are visible even from a distance. I pull on my brand new clothes, my bikini underneath, trying to ignore the burning feeling of the pants against my knee and calf. Glancing in the mirror, I find that I look like a pirate. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. But on the bright side, I look like I belong in the village. I comb my fingers through my growing hair, it's almost to my waist now. I walk back to Henry, who is waiting outside.

"Much better." he says, a smile on his face. His eyes flick briefly over my shoulder, towards the forest, so fast I almost miss it. I turn, and spot what was in the trees earlier. It's Slightly.

I look back at Henry, who is holding the cure out to me.

"Thank you." I whisper.

"Be quick." he responds.

I limp as fast as my legs can carry me without ripping my stitches.

I place the bottle in his hand, "Here's the cure. Make sure Peter drinks all of this."

He nods his head, "Does that mean you get to come back soon?"

I feel a sharp pang of guilt in my chest; they've been alone this whole time, caring for Peter. I have to go back. I can't leave until my leg heals, but it looks like that won't take long.

"Yes. As soon as I can."

I'm not going to tell him about my bullet wound yet.

He smiles at me, "We'll be waiting."

"Goodbye." I reply.

"Bye."

He takes off into the forest, the bottle clutched tightly in his hand. I heave a sigh and turn to find Henry right where I left him, watching me. I walk back to him, the adrenaline of seeing Slightly draining out of my body and leaving me with a sore leg.

"Let's go." Henry says.

He puts my arm over his shoulders and helps me walk back to the ship. It's starting to hurt to put weight on it again. We slowly walk back to the ship and climb the gangplank. Only one thought is going through my head, over and over.

_I have to get out._

**_yay! Relia can move again! she gave the cure to Slightly, hopefully he'll get it to Peter in time! please remember to review, favorite, and follow, and I love you!_**


	17. Swashbuckling

**Swashbuckling**

We climb aboard, my feet hitting the wooden deck. Henry mumbles something about going to help Turk with dinner, smiles at me, and disappears through a door. I glance around, no one is on deck. I'm all alone. My eyes flicker to Hook's cabin doors, but I look away. Suddenly, a gust of warm air blows out of the jungle, across the village, and into the ship. It sways in the water, and the sun almost immediately shines through the rapidly dissipating clouds. Summer has seemed to return in two seconds flat. Peter got the cure. I did it! I barely get any time to revel in my victory. Hook bangs onto the deck, his wild eyes locking on me. He strides over to me and grabs me by my throat, squeezing tight. My feet are barely touching the ground.

"What did you do? What did you do, huh? That bastard is all healthy again, and you have something to do with it. What did you do?"

I'm desperately grasping at his hand, trying to get him to loosen his grip, but he only squeezes harder. I can't get a breath of air. I start to feel lightheaded. His eyes are on fire with anger, he seems to be enjoying this.

"James!"

His eyes waver in their frustration, and I can feel his grip temporarily loosen on my neck before he tightens his fingers again.

"James, drop her. Now."

Henry has emerged from the kitchen and is standing behind him.

"James. Now."

Hook sighs heavily, I can smell the whiskey on his breath, before he drops me to the floor. I inhale gulp after gulp of fresh air, fighting away the feeling of nausea rising in my throat.

"You've no right to meddle in my personal affairs, Henry." Hook growls, stepping towards the old man.

"Don't you even try to pull that on me, James. Leave her alone."

"But she-"

"Not another word. You're ridiculous, harming a lady like that."

Bones walks over to me, kneeling on the ship's deck. He places a hand on my shoulder, "Are you alright?"

All I can do is nod. I can't seem to form words yet. Hook makes an exasperated noise, before striding back to his cabin and slamming the doors.

"He discovered that the cure was missing while we were away. Turk told me he nearly overturned his wardrobe trying to look for it. He blamed you right away. I'm sorry."

"It's my fault, anyway." I manage to say.

Henry helps me sit up, "And mine, too."

He tilts my head up and examines my neck, "It's bruising already."

"Just another thing to add to my list of Hook-inflicted injuries."

He chuckles, "I suppose so. This is going to sound ridiculous, but I think he has feelings for you."

I blink, "Henry, I think that's the exact opposite of what he's thinking."

"I know, I know. But you're the only person who's ever gotten this much of a reaction out of him ever, good or bad."

"I don't think you're right."

"You'll see."

He helps me to my feet, my knee is hurting from the fall. The sun is high in the sky, marking mid afternoon, and the day is hot.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I could use some food."

"Wait right here." he smiles at me and walks through a door, seemingly leading to the kitchen. I limp my way to a barrel, and sit down on it. The ship's deck is clean, and the barrels of gunpowder and cannon balls are neatly stored by each cannon.

"Psst."

I glance around, but there is no one else on the deck with me. I'm hearing things.

"Psst."

I sit up straighter. There is still no one on the deck. A tap on my lower back causes me to twist around. Kai is grimly smiling up at me, finger to his lips. He's holding himself up by his strong arms, biceps bulging as he grips the side of the ship.

"Kai," I gasp, "what are you doing here?"

"What does it look like? I'm saving you! Come on."

"I-" the dull pain in my knee reminds me why I can't go with him. If he finds out what Hook did, I don't know what he would do. Will I even be able to change with a bullet wound? I don't want to find out.

His brow furrows, "You don't want to go. Why don't you want to go?"

"Kai, I-"

"No. Don't worry about it. I understand."

"You do?"

"Not really. I'm just pretending to make you feel better."

He manages a sweet half smile. He's being surprisingly forgiving. I'll explain to him eventually. I feel awful. He forgave me for not wanting to kiss him, and I knocked him right back down again by refusing to go with him.

"Who are you talking to?"

I snap my head back up as Kai disappears into the waves.

"No one." I smile as convincingly as I can at Henry, who is holding a tray of food in his hands.

He looks very skeptical, but he's not going to pry. For that, I'm thankful. He hands me the food, which is just a dinner roll, broccoli, and some chicken.

"Thank you." I say.

He smiles and disappears through the door again. I glance back over the side of the ship, but Kai is gone. I want to go with him. I want to get back to Peter and get away from Hook! But if Kai or Peter found out what Hook did…

I heave a sigh of distress. On the bright side, my new outfit makes me feel as if I belong on the crew. I feel a bit stronger. I just need a weapon to go with it. I glance around the deck, until my eyes land on a sword resting on top of some barrels. It's nothing special: basic silver blade, and a simple hilt. Perfect. I approach the sword, glancing around to make sure no one notices. The setting sun makes the sword shimmer, it seems to be calling my name. I pick it up. It fits well in my hand, I can feel the steady weight of it on my palm. Playfully, I step forward and slash the sword through my imaginary foe. Letting out a small laugh, I continue to dance about my enemy, stabbing as I go. I almost trip over myself a few times, making me laugh even harder. It's easy to forget my painful knee like this.

"What do you think you're doing?"

I turn, startled, to find Hook standing behind me. He's dressed in his usual outfit, complete with his diamond-hilted sword and typical smirk. His eyes briefly glance up and down my body, taking in my new outfit. He doesn't seem nearly as mad as he was just a few minutes ago. An idea hits me then, and brings a teasing smile to my face. I'm not afraid of him. If Henry isn't, why should I be? I may be injured, but he won't hurt me again. He got all of his anger out by choking me in the first place. I hope. I'll take my chances.

"Sword fighting, Captain. What does it look like?"

He cocks his head, trying to decide my motive.

"You know, I figured," I continue, running the blade across my fingers, "that maybe the great Captain Hook could teach me a thing or two?"

I don't look away from him, his hand slowly travels to the hilt of his sword. A charming smile spreads across his face.

"Well, from the looks of you, love, you've got quite a lot to learn."

In the blink of an eye he whips out his sword and touches the point of it to my chest. My shocked expression betrays my confident facade.

"Rule number one," he says, his voice dropping to a whisper, "always be on your guard."

I swing my sword up and into his, knocking it from my chest with a clang. He steps back as I point my sword at him.

"Rule number two," he says, "never back down."

He lunges and aims for my stomach, I block his thrust.

"Not bad." he chuckles, a wicked glint in his eye.

We continue in that way, thrusting and blocking, neither of us clearly winning. I'm actually quite impressed with myself for keeping up with him. He's a skilled fighter, I'll give him that much. I know he's going easy on me because of my leg, but if we were actually fighting I would definitely lose. He has a flesh-slicing hook, after all.

We're both covered in a light sheen of sweat and breathing hard, but we're happy. This is really helping me take my mind off of things.

_Thrust_.

_Miss_.

_Parry_.

_Jab_.

_Block_.

_Stab_.

_Miss_.

Hook stabs forward with a vengeance, I lose my balance and stumble forward. He drops his sword before it can impale me, thankfully. His strong arms pull me back on to my feet, but he doesn't let me go. Both of us are trying to catch our breath, I can feel his chest heaving beneath me. I tilt my head to look up at him, he's already staring down at me. Those stormy blue eyes send tingles up my spine.

"Um, thanks."

"Mmhmm."

We just stare at each other, drinking in the other's features. Could he really be so bad? Could the great Captain Hook be nothing but a misunderstood pirate? God, I must be suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. This guy stabbed and choked me, and here I am still searching for the good in him? Henry can see the good inside of him, so I know it's there. I can feel the tension growing in the air, so thick I could slice it with my sword. Electricity is buzzing between our bodies, begging me to close the little distance there is between us. He can feel it too, I can tell. His cold metal hook is pressing into my lower back, his other hand resting on my waist. My arms are around his neck, and it's taking all the self-restraint I have not to run my fingers through his hair. Inch by inch, our bodies move closer. Slowly, slowly, slowly. The tension rises higher and higher, the setting sun fueling our excitement.

The thought flies into my head so fast I almost gasp.

Bunny.

Peter.

I have to get back.

I shouldn't be doing this.

He's the enemy.

I pull away so quickly I almost fall backwards. The tension snaps like a rubber band, my sword clatters to the ground. I can't. I just can't.

I look back up at him. That new, kind expression has been replaced by cold eyes.

"This lesson is over." he growls.

Before I can speak he strides past me to his cabin, slamming the doors behind him.

A sick feeling rises up through my stomach. What just happened? I walk to the side of the ship, leaning over the water. The sun is almost completely gone, the sunset is turning the water orange. The sea breeze softly blows across my cheeks, bringing my body temperature back to normal. The ocean flows far beneath me, making me think of Kai and Marina. What if Queen Selene really is my mom? How did she get here? Does she know I'm here, too? Does she care? And Kai… I wonder what he's doing. Is he thinking about me? Is he even going to try save me again? Do I even need saving? Too many questions.

The sun sinks below the ocean, allowing the stars to twinkle overhead. It hits me then, the night is warm. Summer is back. Peter's alive. The thought sends a happy tremor through my body, he's okay! I can go back and help him heal, I can help the Lost Boys care for him. Maybe Peter can answer my questions. The waves are mesmerizing, lapping against the side of the ship. The sun is continuing to sink below the horizon, and the water is becoming darker and darker. Suddenly, a flick of something beneath the surface catches my eye. A tail? Kai? I lean forward even farther, allowing my clumsy self to lose my balance and fall over the side. Shit.

_**oops. hey hey some Hook tension *wink* what do we think of mr. tall dark and handsome pirate? and poor Kai, he just keeps getting rejected. but Relia still likes him! life is just unfair sometimes. please remember to review, favorite, and follow, and thank you for reading! much love**_


	18. Bloodstains

**Bloodstains**

My world seems to move in slow motion as I tumble over the side of the deck to the dark waves below. I let out a scream as I drop towards the ocean, splashing into the cold water. The sea pulls me into its depths, I can feel my change coming. I can't change now, Hook can't find out about me. What will it do to my bullet wound? I can't see much, whatever I saw seems to have disappeared. I desperately try to pull myself back to the surface, but I can't without my leg burning with pain. My lungs are about to explode. A sharp pain shoots through me, I have to bite my tongue to refrain from opening my mouth and letting the little air I have left escape. I ripped my stitches. I can faintly see blood seeping into the water around me, clouding my vision even further. An idea hits me then, the only way to save myself. Since the stitches are ripped, I don't have to worry about about ripping them through the change. I have to change and escape before they can find me.

I yank off my boots and pants, and pull off my bikini bottoms just as the change takes over. My tail appears in a flash, and with it comes my much needed ability to breathe under water. I inhale gulps of air, calming myself down. I can feel a pain in my tail where my bullet wound must be. I'm still bleeding. I need to get out of the water fast. The salt is stinging my wound painfully. I slowly try and turn myself away from the ship, but a warm yellow glow above catches my attention. I lightly propel myself up to the surface and towards the side of the ship, in an attempt to conceal myself in the shadows. Tilting my head up, I see Hook, flanked by Smee and Henry.

"-heard a scream," he continues, scanning the water with a worried expression on his face, "and a splash, I came out and she was gone."

"This isn't good. Her stitches could rip, and she'd lose a lot of blood. If she's down there, we have to find her, Captain." Henry responds, he seems distraught as well.

Hook is quiet for a moment, before thrusting his lantern into Smee's hands and removing his coat.

"C-Captain?" Smee stutters, not quite believing what he's seeing.

Hook takes off his boots, now he's left with his cotton shirt and black pants.

"Bloody hell. I can't believe I'm doing this." he mutters, before cleanly diving into the water, no more than five feet away from me.

Henry and Smee, stunned, stand at the edge of the ship, gazing at their captain ten feet below. I have to get away before he sees me! Frantically, I paddle away from the ship towards the beach. It's not too far away, thankfully we're still docked. I flick my tail to speed up my journey, pleasantly surprised at how quickly I can move. Painfully, I haul myself up onto the beach, keeping my tail away from the water.

It won't go away. I've never focused on making it go away before, and I'm realizing I don't know how. I concentrate hard, thinking about the feeling of having two legs instead of one tail. Focusing on the feeling of kicking my legs in a swimming pool, riding a horse, walking… Soon enough, that tingly sensation spreads through my legs, and before my eyes, my tail disappears. It morphs into legs, suddenly it's there, and then it's not. Just like that.

I quickly slip on my soaked bikini bottoms and pants, pulling on my squelching leather boots. I yank off my sash, tying it above my knee in a tourniquet in an attempt to stop the blood. I must be quite a sight: bleeding profusely, standing on the beach soaking wet. I hobble towards the forest, loaded down by my wet clothes and injury. I can feel water and blood dripping down my leg, but I can't tell them apart.

I make it to the tree line, with one last glance at Hook's ship. I can see the lantern Smee is holding bob along as he crosses the deck, and I can barely make out Hook's head in the water before he dives under again. He's still looking for me. That thought sends an odd feeling through my heart, one I can't quite decipher. I shake my head and turn back towards the trees, hoping my journey doesn't take as long as I think it might. I pause and send a quick prayer to the island, hoping that I don't bleed out before I arrive at the trap door. I'm moving at a steady pace, proud for not losing consciousness yet. It's nearly impossible to see, the thick canopy above hides the only light I have: the moon. I stumble along blindly through the forest, feeling around for any trace of the hideout.

A howl splits the air, silencing the crickets around me. The night abruptly goes quiet as chills creep up my spine. I quicken my pace, tripping over tree roots and rocks on the forest floor. Another howl echoes through the night, closer than before. Fear wells up in my chest. I have to get to safety. I can't be out here alone. Maybe it's the werewolves, coming back for more. A branch cracks a little ways to my right, I freeze and stare at the thick trees, waiting to see what may come out. No. I have to keep moving! My feet are rooted to the spot, I can't take a single step. Yet another branch snaps, seemingly right in front of me. My breathing quickens considerably, what's out there?

"Hello?" I call, my voice sounding weaker than I intend.

I clear my throat and stand up straighter, "Who's out there?"

The bushes rustle and a figure steps through, I flinch. My heart sinks; of all people, why this one?

"So we meet again." Aleksander chuckles, those haunting golden eyes staring right into my soul.

"You know," Aleksander says, cleaning his nails, "I almost considered leaving you alone."

I realize what he's scraping from beneath his nails. It's blood.

"But," he looks up and grins at me, "you're too much fun."

He sniffs the air, smelling the blood trickling down my leg.

"You smell delicious," he murmurs, taking a step forward.

I take a step back, keeping the distance between us even.

"What do you want?" I ask.

"Ah," he pauses, cocking his head, "that's the thing. You don't have a whole lot of brains, do you?"

I say nothing, slowly backing away as he continues to advance.

"I want you."

The ground falls out beneath my feet and I tumble down into darkness with a surprised scream. I land on a familiar pile of soft pillows, the boys are on me in an instant.

"It's Relia!"

"You're back!"

"She's bleeding!"

"I'm fine." I respond, but it seems I'm anything but.

I try to stand but fall right back down onto the pillows, a wave of nausea comes over me.

"Terence!" Slightly calls.

Soon the boys take up his cry running into the different rooms and peering into the birdhouse looking object next to Peter's door. Speaking of, I notice his mop of chestnut hair on the couch, he's asleep.

I flop back against the pillows, feeling suddenly light headed. Nibs comes over to me then, with a roll of thread and a needle in his hand. An image of Henry with those same watery eyes flashes into my head.

"Here, I'll help you." he says.

I nod numbly, he rolls up my pants and undoes my makeshift tourniquet. Quickly and deftly, he repairs my ripped stitches and cleans up the blood.

"All done!" he rolls my pant leg back down.

"You can lay here until you feel better." he smiles at me and goes to get the boys to inform them that I'm okay.

Soon, Bunny enters the room. He runs over to me and jumps onto my pillows, curling up against me.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah." I respond, proud my mouth can at least form one word.

"We gave Peter the cure."

"I know." Two words. I give myself a mental pat on the back.

"He's getting better."

"That's great, Bunny." my words start to sound slurred. Maybe three is a breaking point.

"Are you okay?" he asks, that sweet voice sounding so worried. I don't want to let him down.

"I'm fine. I'm just a little tired."

"Oh. Well you should go to sleep, then."

I smile at his simple words, "I suppose I should."

A question pops into my head, "Who's Terence?"

"He's Peter's friend," his voice drops to a whisper, his eyes sparkling, "he's a prince."

"A prince, huh?" I say.

"Yep! A pixie prince. He lives in Pixie Hollow, but he also lives here." he points over to the birdhouse on the wall.

"Oh. Why was Slightly looking for him?"

"Because he could have healed you. He was here just a few minutes ago." Bunny responds.

Slightly walks out of the bedroom in light gray pajamas, "Come on Bunny, it's time for bed."

He notices me then, "Oh. I guess I should show you to your room."

"My room?"

Slightly crosses over to us, pulling me to my feet. I get a little dizzy, but I manage to push it away.

He pulls me over to the second bear pelt, to the left of Peter's room. He pulls it aside and we enter, it's just as big as Peter's, and just as sparsely decorated. There is a bear skin on the bed, and one on the floor. There is a small chest of drawers along one wall, a few empty shelves, and that's about it. But on the bright side, the bed looks massive and comfortable.

"Ta-da." Slightly says, "Do you like it?"

"It's perfect." I reply, not being able to tear my eyes from my bed. My own bed. Not Hook's, not Peter's, mine.

I hear the pelt brush against the wall, and Bunny enters in deep green pajamas that are just a bit too big for him. He looks adorable. He comes forward and gives me a huge hug, tightening his arms around my thighs.

"Goodnight, Relia." he says into my pants.

"Goodnight, Bunny." I say, ruffling his blond hair.

"Sleep good." he smiles up at me as he pulls away, his tired little eyes still managing to shine.

"You too."

Slightly smiles at me as he leads Bunny out of the room and to their sleeping quarters. I follow them into the main room, Slightly blows out the lanterns lining the walls, and Bunny extinguishes the lantern on the table. It looks almost as if it's a nightly routine. The room is dark, the only light left is from the dim firelight of the bedrooms. They call goodnight and shut their door behind them. I can barely make out Peter's sleeping form on the couch, I cross over to him and kneel beside him. He's breathing evenly, he doesn't look nearly as sick as he was when I left him. That seems like a lifetime ago, when I left the hideout dressed as a boy. I reach forward and brush the hair out of his eyes, lightly tracing his jawline down to his lips. I pull my fingers away before I can touch them, though. There's something that seems to be stopping me.

He wakes up slowly, with a soft groan. He blinks a few times as he notices me.

"Relia?" he whispers, awed.

"It's me." I whisper back.

"Where have you been?" he asks, taking in my new outfit.

"Nowhere." I mumble.

That conversation is for later, when he can fully function. He's still wrapped up in bandages, covering that nasty bite that I'm now pretty positive Aleksander gave him. I move to stand, he extends a hand to me.

"Wha-" I start, but he yanks me onto the couch, into his chest.

He chuckles, "I'm glad you're back."

His face is so close I can feel his breath tickling my cheeks.

"I never left." I respond, burrowing into his chest for warmth. I don't even bother taking my boots off. He wraps his arms around me.

He's quiet for a moment, before he leans even closer in to my ear, "No one likes a liar."

"Oh?" I really don't want to talk about this right now. The clang of swords and the crack of the gun fills my ears as I think about how I've been spending my time these past few days.

"Except for me." he whispers softly.

I feel a bit of happiness blossom in my chest, filling me up to the tips of my fingers and toes. He pulls me closer still, I can hear his heartbeat. Steady and calming against my ear.

"Sleep well." he mumbles.

"You too." I respond, curling against him. I drift off into sleep, surrounded by Peter's warmth.

_**awe Peter love too! dang, there are too many guys in Relia's life right now. which one would you choose? ;P Aleksander is starting to get sketchy! he's dangerous. what do you think he's gonna do? until next time, darlings. please remember to review, favorite, and follow!**_


	19. the Golden Touch

**the Golden Touch**

Dawn illuminates the hideout, the day is still young and quiet. No one is awake yet, except for me. But the growing light isn't what woke me up, it's Peter. I'm laying on top of him, in between his legs, and he's breathing heavily. Raising my head to look at him, his face is contorted in pain. He keeps softly moaning. It's his bite. I can tell. I want to do something to ease his pain. Anything. I lightly reach out and touch his bandaged side, willing the pain to go away. In the blink of an eye, a soft golden glow leaves my fingertip and sinks into his bandages. It happens so quickly, I almost think it was my imagination. But, Peter's labored breathing ceases immediately, his face looks serene as he slowly wakes up.

"Relia?" his groggy voice mumbles.

"Y-yes?"

His face morphs into one of concern, "Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah. I'm fine."

I climb quickly off of his chest, my eyes not quite seeing straight. An awful headache comes on, I turn and bolt up the stairs. My leg is only a minor discomfort, a night of sleep worked in my advantage.

"Relia!" Peter calls after me.

I don't listen. I run. I burst through the trap door into daylight, the barely rising sun casting a purple glow on the forest. The jungle around me is unfamiliar, so I go to the nearest tree to collapse under. No sooner have I sat down to freak out, Peter bursts through the trapdoor, completely shirtless. His expression is panicked, but as soon as he sees me it turns into relief. As I expected, there is only a faint scar where that deep wound once was.

"How did…" my voice trails off, speechless. I can't tear my eyes away from his miraculously healed _werewolf_ bite.

I healed it.

But how?

He grins, "I don't know. It just happened overnight. Isn't it amazing? I feel great!"

I turn my face away from him, prepared to stand up and walk away again. He flies forward and grabs me by my arm as I stand, turning me towards him.

"Hey. What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" I shout.

He looks shocked by my sudden outburst.

"Nothing," I say again, softer, "I just need a minute. Please."

He looks distraught but consents, walking into the underbrush as if he knows exactly where he's going. I don't doubt that. Glancing back towards the trap door, I find that it's gone. I sigh. There's no going back now. I take a few deep breaths, running a hand through my hair. I healed him. With just a single touch from my finger tip, a massive wound worse than mine healed in two seconds flat. I pull my hands away from my body and stare at them, they look normal. I slump against the tree again, putting my head in my hands. What is wrong with me? Is it part of being a "half breed" as Kai so eloquently put it? Can mermaids do this, too? I hear footsteps along the forest floor. I glance up to find Peter.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm okay."

He offers me his hand, "Come on. I want to show you something."

I take his hand and allow him to pull me to my feet, he scoops me up and leaps into the air with some discomfort from my knee. I can't tell him yet. We soar up through the canopy of trees, and out into a beautiful summer day. The sky has brightened considerably with the rising sun, turning it a bright blue. As if on reflex, I glance towards the village in the cove. Sure enough, Hook's ship is still docked. I turn my eyes away from his ship and back to the treetops soaring by beneath us. I need to put all of that behind me. Yet, I still get a feeling of butterflies in my stomach when I think of those stormy blue eyes gazing into mine. Peter distracts me by dipping towards the trees, my feet brush the tops as we descend back into the shady forest. We land and he sets me down, covering my eyes with his hand.

"What are you -"

"Just trust me." he says, his voice filled with anticipation.

He walks me forward, one hand in front of my eyes, and one on my lower back. The sound of roaring water fills my ears, he propels me onto a seemingly rocky surface that is sloping upwards. The water gets louder, a flowery scent drifts through the air. Suddenly, he removes his hand from my eyes and I'm momentarily blinded by the sun glinting off of the pure blue water beneath us. I gasp. We're standing on a rocky ledge, almost like a natural diving board, over a pond full of crystalline water. Opposite us, a breathtaking waterfall tumbles from the cliffs above. It is surrounded by hundreds of different flowers, in a rainbow of colors. They smell delicious.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!" I exclaim, drinking in the sights and smells.

"I've seen things even more beautiful." Peter says behind me. He hasn't removed his hand from around my waist yet. The odd thing is, it doesn't really bother me.

"Oh? Like what?" I ask, turning to look up at him.

He smiles a mischievous smile, and presses a kiss to my cheek before diving into the water below. My hand flies up to my cheek, which is now tingling with his kiss. Was he talking about me? He resurfaces, shaking glistening water out of his hair. Something tells me he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Join me?" he calls from below.

On a normal day I would, but I don't think my leg is in prime condition at the moment.

"I can't." I mumble.

"What?"

"I can't." I say, a little louder. My shaking voice betrays my calm demeanor. I don't want to tell him now. Not here. Not like this.

He cocks his head, "Why not?"

"I just can't." I cross my arms, folding in on myself. I knew I would have to tell him eventually. I just want to hold on to my secret for as long as I can. The way things are going, I won't be able to.

"Relia." he says softly, flying up out of the water and landing in front of me, water dripping from his soaked clothing.

"What are you not telling me?" he asks.

Here we go.

"Please don't be upset." I whisper.

Peter grabs my chin and pulls it up to meet his gaze. He looks worried, but comforting. He'll accept what I have to say. It'll be okay.

I take a deep breath, "When you were bitten, I went to Hook's ship to get the cure for you."

"What!" he exclaims, his hand dropping from my chin and balling into a fist, "Why would you leave the hideout when I explicitly told you-"

"_Peter_." I say firmly.

He stops talking abruptly, running a hand through his hair in exasperation, but allowing me to continue.

"I was caught," my voice cracks, "and he did this."

Am I seriously going to cry? He looks like he wants to give me a hug but he restrains himself, giving me space. That spurs me on to continue. I slide my tall boot off of my foot. I grasp the hem of my pant leg and take another breath. The first tear slowly makes its way down my cheek. I pull it up over my knee, and train my gaze on the angry red lines of stitches on my knee and the back of my calf.

He makes a strangled noise, but says nothing.

"Is that a bullet wound?" he growls.

More tears slip down my cheeks, "It's bad, isn't it." I say, almost accusing him. I suppose I expected him to say it was okay, that it was only a few tiny cuts.

I can't take it anymore. I look up at him. Peter is more livid than I've ever seen him. He's cheeks are even turning a bit red. His eyes are flashing and his muscles are tense, as if he's about to get into a fight.

"When I get to him…" he mutters to himself.

"No, Peter," I say, trying to remain strong, "it's okay. I'm okay. I just can't swim with you right now. I'm sorry."

All of the tension drains from his shoulders, he pulls me in for a hug. I start to cry again.

"It's alright. You'll be fine. I promise. We'll come back and swim soon."

"Okay." I mumble.

He gently rocks back and forth until I calm down.

"Bunny doesn't know," I say softly, rolling my pant leg back down, "please don't tell him."

"I won't," he smiles at me reassuringly, "Come on. We can do something else."

"Like what?"

"You'll see."

I slide my boot back on and heave a sigh. He scoops me into his arms and leaps into the air. I can tell he's just trying to take my mind off of things, but I'm grateful. We soar over the endless treetops, towards the end of the island. Peter dips down towards a small bluff. He sets me down on the very edge of the cliffs, my legs dangling over the side. He flies over to a grove of apple trees, selecting the two biggest, juiciest ones he can find. He comes back to sit next to me, offering me an apple. I take it, and bite into it. Fresh, ripe, crisp, delicious. We eat in silence, staring at the sunrise coming up over the ocean. It's beautiful, casting light on all that was once dark. It turns everything a light shade of pink. Birds are calling in the jungle behind us.

"Thank you." I say.

He turns to me, "For what?"

"I don't know. I guess I just-"

Pain that feels like a punch to the stomach wells up inside of me, I cut myself off with a strangled gasp. The forest suddenly falls eerily silent.

"Are you okay?" he asks, leaning forward.

I place a hand to my stomach, which feels like it's on fire.

"I'm-I'm fine." I reply.

Something that feels like hot breath puffs down the back of my neck, I turn to look behind me. Nothing is there. I scan the trees, I feel as if something is watching me.

"Relia." Peter demands.

I turn my attention back to his worried expression, "Yes?"

"Are you okay?" he repeats slowly, as if talking to a two year old.

All of a sudden the pain and watchful gaze disappears, leaving me feeling cold and empty. The birds begin to call again, as if nothing ever happened.

"I'm fine." I respond, trying to predict when it will start up again, if at all.

"Let's go." he says.

I want to stay, but all of a sudden I'm feeling very tired.

"Okay."

He picks me up and jumps into the air. I can't help but hope he felt it too, but something tells me he didn't. What was that? We arrive at the hideout, we come through the chute just as the boys seems to be waking up.

"Boys, stay here for today. I have to go take care of something." Peter announces, setting me down on the floor.

They mumble their consent and he flies back up the chute without a backwards glance. That was weird. I glance over at the boys, still in their pajamas, who are staring at me.

A thought pops into my head, "Why don't we make breakfast?"

They cheer and run into the kitchen area, I follow. They stand in a line and face me.

"What are we gonna have?" Cubby asks.

"Hmmm." I glance around the room, noticing oats, cinnamon, apples, and other various food items. I do make a mean apple cinnamon oatmeal…

"Oatmeal?" I offer.

They groan, but I smile.

"No, the good kind. Do you trust me?"

The boys nod resentfully, and I set to work.

"Slightly and Nibs," I say to the two most trustworthy, "will you please heat up the oats, cinnamon, and water outside?"

They nod as I measure the ingredients. I hand them the ingredients, a spoon, and a pot. They exit the room and I hear them run up the stairs to start a little campfire outside.

"Twins."

"Yeah?" they say in unison.

"Will you please dice the apples?" I ask, handing them the burlap sack of apples.

"Sure!" they shout, grabbing the apples and some knives before heading out to the table with a cutting board.

"And you two," I turn to Cubby and Bunny, "please set the table."

Cubby groans but Bunny claps his hands with excitement, grabbing bowls and spoons from the shelf and running to the table. In a matter of seconds the boys finish their tasks, we dump the chopped apples into the pot outside and stir, I taste it. Perfect. Slightly and Nibs extinguish their fire as I pick up the pot, carrying it back down the stairs to the table. I ladle out bowls of the oatmeal to them, they take their spots at the table and dig in happily.

"I told you it would be good!"

They nod in agreement, but can't speak around their mouthfuls of oatmeal. I get a bowl for myself as well, eating it alongside the little boys. All at once I'm hit with a sense of family. We all worked together to create our own meal. If only Peter was here. They finish their bowls and rinse them in the sink, drying them and placing them back on the shelves. We all assemble back in the living room. Again the boys stand at attention. It seems they are always waiting for me to give them instruction.

"Well, what do you guys want to do?"

They look a bit taken aback at suddenly being in charge.

"Play hide and seek!" Bunny shouts.

The boys all look at me with pleading expressions on their faces.

"Please?" Cubby says.

I smile, "How is that even a question?"

"Peter hasn't let us play games outside these past few weeks." one twin says.

"He always gets mad when we ask." the other finishes.

"Well, I don't see why we can't. Let's go."

Peter said to stay here for today, but it's okay as long as we stay close. We run up the stairs and into the mid-day sunlight, the air has a tinge of humidity to it.

"You're it!" Nibs tells me.

"Run!" Slightly shouts.

The boys scatter, crashing through the bushes and trees. In a matter of moments, I'm alone.

"One, two, three, four, five-"

The sharp, fiery pain explodes into my chest this time. I press my hands to my ribs, fighting the pain away. I can feel that unyielding gaze on my back, I whirl to see who is there. I'm sure there's something. The pain disappears a second later. Suddenly, I'm all too aware that I'm alone. Something grabs my arm, I let out a surprised shriek and whip towards my assailant. It's Peter, and he's mad.

"Inside," he growls, "now."

_**uh ohhhh what is this mysterious pain and watchful gaze? dum dum **_**_dummmmmm. I hope you enjoyed! please review, favorite, and follow! :)_**


	20. Blood, Sweat, and Tears

**Blood, Sweat, and Tears**

Peter sends boy after boy down the chute, I'm sitting on the couch. Something has him upset, and I can't begin to think of what it could be. Finally, Cubby comes tumbling down onto the pillows, followed by Peter. He looks angry, but he doesn't say a word as he strides to his room and doesn't look back.

Someone taps me on the shoulder, it's Nibs, "Can I check your stitches?"

"Sure." I respond, grateful for the distraction.

He leads me to my room and I take off my boots, laying down on the soft pillows. Nibs rolls up my pant leg, and gently prods my wounds.

"I think I might be able to take them out."

My throat goes dry, "Take them out?"

"Uh huh!" he says brightly, unaware of my complete and utter terror of being tended to by a ten year old.

"It shouldn't hurt," he says, "my grandpa taught me how to stitch, but he never taught me how to remove them…" he trails off.

"You'll be fine, though." he adds.

I do want these things out of my leg, how bad could it hurt?

"Alright. Fine. Let's get it over with."

"I'll be right back." he says, and runs out of the room.

I lay on my bed, slightly panicking. How bad will it hurt? How long will it take? Will he do it wrong? Nibs enters the room again with a small knife, my anxiety level reaches a whole new height.

"We don't have scissors, so this will have to do."

"Okay." I squeak.

I cast my gaze to the ceiling so I don't have to see him work. I feel a tugging sensation as he cuts the knot with the knife. Then he begins to pull. A line of pain arches up my leg, I let out a gasp and bite my tongue to suppress a scream. Tears escape my eyes as he finishes tugging, and the pain disappears.

"That went well!" Nibs says.

Good God. If that's considered well then I don't want to know what bad is. He starts to lightly tug on the next one, cutting it with his knife. He pulls again, I fist the sheets in an attempt to keep myself under control. It hurts so bad! I start to sob, loud enough that he stops _right in the middle of pulling it out_.

"Don't stop!" I shout louder than is necessary.

He hastily finishes, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry it hurt." he says.

The bear pelt is smacked aside and a person enters the room.

"What's going on?" Peter demands, clearly still pissed at us for leaving the hideout.

"Nothing," I pant, "we're all fine here."

Even in pain, I can still be sarcastic.

I hear him sigh, "No, you're not."

"Just go away!"

He falls silent, I roll over and bury my face into my pillow. Peter sits down on the side of the bed and pulls my head onto his lap. He starts to softly stroke my hair, grabbing my right hand. Nibs mutters something about going to get some antiseptic cream, and dashes from the room. I'm just trying to catch my breath.

"It's okay." Peter says from above me, still rubbing circles into my shoulder.

Nibs comes back in and gets to work rubbing in his concoction; it burns a little at first, but with it comes soothing relief.

Nibs pats me on the shoulder, "Feel better, Relia. Get lots of rest. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"You didn't." I mumble, feeling groggy. He doesn't need to feel bad, he was helping.

He walks out of my room, leaving me and Peter alone. Peter lays back against the headboard and soft pillows, pulling me up onto his chest. He smells delicious, like a summer day. Bright and comforting. He grabs the comforter and pulls it up around us, covering me in soft warmth. He softly kisses the top of my head, wrapping his arms around me.

"Go to sleep. I'll be here."

I sink into him, allowing sleep to grab me in its clutches and drag me into darkness.

_**sorry this one was so short, the next ones will be longer! poor Relia. at least she got the stitches out! please remember to review, favorite, and follow! 3**_


	21. the Dark One

**the Dark One**

The next few days are spent drifting in and out of consciousness. I think the stress has finally caught up with me, I feel listless and depressed. Nibs wakes me up to feed me some broth every once in a while, and Peter comes in to check on me. My leg doesn't hurt very much at all anymore, I just feel so tired. Finally, on the fourth day of my comatose state, I stay awake for a little longer than usual. Peter comes in for his daily visit and finds me awake. He looks really stressed and kind of pissed, but puts on a taut smile and comes to sit next to me.

"How are you feeling?" he asks.

"Better." I reply. It's true.

"That's good."

"What about you?"

"I'm okay." he says, but I can tell he's lying.

"Peter, you can tell me."

He sighs, "It's Terence. I'm having some troubles."

"Who's Terence again?"

He rolls his eyes at me, as if I should know this already. He's definitely in a bad mood.

"He's the prince of the pixies, next in line for the throne. He's upset for some reason, and I don't know why. I went to Pixie Hollow to see where he disappeared to the other day, and his guard informed me he wasn't seeing any visitors. I don't know what's wrong."

A thought pops into my head, "What about Tinker Bell?"

He looks confused, "Tinker Bell?"

"You know, your best friend? She's a pixie too, and you guys go on tons of adventures all over Neverland."

"Where did you hear that?"

"I saw it in a movie." I mumble sheepishly.

He stands, "You do realize that not everything they say in the stories isn't true, right? Am I wearing a leaf costume?"

I feel a blush creeping up my cheeks. Of course Tinker Bell doesn't exist.

"R-Right." I stutter.

He sighs and runs a hand through his tousled locks before walking out of the room. Wow. He's pissed. A few minutes later, Nibs comes in to feed me my dinner of broth. He props me up against the pillows. I gulp it down, feeling better by the second. I think those few days of rest did me some good. My leg feels like it's back to normal, except for the nasty scars I refuse to look at, and I'm feeling well rested. I'm just worried about Peter. He seems really upset.

I finish my bowl of broth and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, "Thank you, Nibs."

He smiles, those soft blue eyes sparkling, and he exits. All of a sudden, it hits me why Nibs looks so familiar. He reminds me of Henry. Those watery eyes, the wise smile, the gentle hands. I wonder if they're related. How could that be possible? I set the thought aside. Too much deep thinking will give me a headache. I lay awake until the sun sets and Bunny enters the room to light my lantern on the wall.

"Hi, Relia."

"Hi, Bunny."

He crosses to the wall and lights a match, opening my lantern and setting the wick ablaze. He shuts the door and then comes to curl up beside me.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I am. I'm just a little tired."

"I heard you crying a few days ago, and Peter seemed really worried when he came back out of your room that night."

Peter was worried about me?

"I'm fine. I was just having a bad day."

There is no way in hell I'm telling him about my bullet wound. It's over now, and he doesn't need to know it ever happened.

"Oh," he responds, quiet for a moment, "have a good sleep."

"You too, Bunny."

He pulls himself off of my bed and darts out of the room. A feeling of claustrophobia comes over me, I feel like I want to get out of the hideout _right now_. Maybe I could help with the Terence problem. Maybe I could go see Kai and Marina. Maybe I could find out if the mermaid queen really is my mom. Maybe I could see Hook again…

I lay in bed for another half hour until the hideout falls silent. The boys and Peter are asleep, that itching feeling of being too confined is crawling over my skin. I heave a sigh and haul myself out of the bed, happy that my leg isn't hurting at all. Maybe it has to do with the cream Nibs gave me. Or, didn't Henry say that I have some sort of "quick healing powers"? I think back to when I healed Peter with that single touch. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Too many for my taste.

I slip on my leather boots. Grabbing my lantern from the wall, I slowly creep out of my room. The main room is deserted, and the lanterns have been extinguished. The boys and Peter must be asleep. I glance towards Peter's room, but I look away before I can think about anything else. Nope. He doesn't want to talk to me right now, so I won't bother him. I climb the stairs and push open the trap door. The night is warm and humid, the crickets, cicadas, and other animals are forming their chorus of evening sounds. I take a deep breath and try to gather my bearings, knowing full well that I am most likely in some sort of remote part of the forest. Didn't Slightly say the hideout moves each night? I could be anywhere. But he also said that the longer you're on the island, the better developed your sense of direction becomes. I've been here for how long now? I try to count the days in my head. If I'm right, I've been here for thirteen days. Tomorrow will be my fourteenth, two weeks in Neverland.

I start walking in a direction I hope is correct, pushing my way through the forest with one hand, and holding the lantern above my head. I can't see much with the dull light of the almost-gone candle, but it does help me approximately two seconds before I run face-first into a tree. An odd feeling creeps up my spine, those watchful eyes. I can feel them on me, staring me down. The forest falls eerily quiet, just as it did on the bluff with Peter. Hot breath travels down my neck. The cracking of bushes and branches fills the air as something big crashes towards me. I turn and scan the trees behind me, but I can't see very far. The moon is being blocked by clouds tonight, making it very hard to see. Whatever was coming for me has stopped moving. Not more than three seconds later, the same crackling comes from behind me, in the original direction I was going in. I quickly turn away from both sides, and run. Some branches scratch my face as I go by, the light of my lantern seems to be dying by the second. My clumsy stumbling through the forest is louder than I intend, I briefly wonder where Aleksander is tonight. This sounds too large to be a wolf. But I can feel that monstrous presence behind me still, coming closer and closer. I can't outrun it, as hard as I try. Panic makes a pit in my stomach.

The forest floor turns to sand beneath my feet, I've emerged onto the beach. The village is off to my right, only a few lights in the windows are still lit. The ocean is a few yards away, if I run fast enough I can get away. Hook's ship is still docked, but the portholes are dark. A part of me wants to run there, he'll keep me safe. Right?

Suddenly, that familiar pain explodes through me, flames lick up my insides. My knees buckle underneath me, I collapse onto the sand. I can't get away now. I curl in on myself, trying to staunch the fire. I squeeze my eyes shut tight. I start to sob uncontrollably, I can't control myself. A prickling sensation crawls up my arms and legs, I open my eyes to find that the sand has turned into many, tiny ants. They crawl up into my nose and mouth, making it hard to breathe. The night sky has turned bright orange with the fire consuming the forest behind me. The smoke and the ants fill my lungs, soon enough I lose consciousness.

* * *

I slowly open my eyes, blinking into the sunlight streaming through the trees. I'm laying on the forest floor, alone. The chirping of birds accompanies the faint sound of waves crashing onto the beach. I sit up, a very painful headache comes on. I reach out and grasp a tree next to me, pulling myself to my feet. Spots cloud my vision for a moment, but I shake my head to make them go away. I'm a little sore, and I'm very tired.

That presence makes itself known behind me, that hot breath puffs down the back of my neck. I whip around to find a horse. Black as night and monstrous, with a long mane and tail. Its dark eyes regard me cooly, seemingly calculating my next move. The thing that strikes me is the white, spiral horn protruding from its forehead. A unicorn. I think back to the figurine I found in the hideout. That cruel unicorn that struck me as looking like Knight. Could this huge horse be him? It's possible. Slowly, cautiously, I reach out a hand, palm out. Without a moments hesitation, he presses his nose onto my palm. It's him. I know it. I rush forward and wrap him in a hug, he bends his head around my shoulders just like back at home. A few happy tears escape my eyes.

"I missed you." I whisper into his silky coat, reveling in the added height Neverland has given him.

He hugs me tighter, almost as if he understands me. A little piece of home has been brought to me. I'm not alone. We stand like that for what seems like forever, until I pull away to take him in.

"Wow, buddy. You've grown, huh?"

He tosses his head, his milk white horn glinting in the sunlight.

I laugh, "Yes, your horn is beautiful too."

He snorts and lifts his head into the air, showing off his height and strength. Knight comes to me and knocks me with his nose, making me stumble back a bit.

I giggle, "What do you want?"

He turns, displaying his profile to me.

"You want me to get on?" I whisper softly.

He nickers, his way of saying _duh_.

I've only ridden him bareback a few times, that was when he wasn't as massive, and we were safe in the arena. But he wants me to get on, he must have a purpose. I sigh and glance at my surroundings, noticing a boulder about three feet off the ground. Perfect. I walk over to it and Knight follows, I climb on to the top of it and stand. Now I'm a little taller than him. He turns away from me, allowing me easy access to his back. I throw my leg over and climb on, his back is even wider than before. He shifts beneath me, ready to get moving. I lean forward and wind my fingers into his mane, gripping his sides with my legs. He's off like a shot, galloping at full speed through the forest. The trees and branches whip past my face, I can't raise my head or I'll get hit by one. I can only close my eyes and hold on tight as his powerful legs propel us through the forest like lightning. We travel for what only seems like seconds before he begins to slow to a canter. We emerge from the forest and arrive in a place I never expected to see again. We're at the cove where I was captured by Hook. There's the rock that Kai kissed me on. A rush of emotions swirl through my stomach. Knight rears and dumps me onto the sand, I land with a thud.

"What was that for?" I glare up at him.

I stand and smack him lightly. I turn my attention back to the glistening water of the cove. Knight comes up behind me and nudges me forwards until the waters lap against my boots.

"You want me to get in?"

He bobs his head, almost as if he's nodding yes.

I sigh and pull off my boots, pants, shirt, sash, and bikini bottoms. I neatly fold the clothes and place them out of the way of the tide. I turn back to Knight.

"Are you sure?"

He nudges me into the water as his answer. I sigh and stand up on my toes to give him a kiss on the nose. I turn and wade into the warm, salty water. When I'm waist deep, I turn back to Knight.

"I'm trusting you!"

He neighs and rears into the air, pawing at the sky, before turning and galloping into the trees. I dive into the water, allowing my change to come. Soon, I can breathe just fine. My silvery tail glitters with a rainbow of colors along the rocks of the cove. I swim deeper into the water, the sun casting shadows onto the plants along the rocky bottom. Why did Knight want me to come here? Did he want me to make up with Kai? Maybe I can go find the queen and see if it really is my mom. But what if she isn't? But what if she is? The queen seems like the lesser of two evils, I don't think I can face Kai yet. I should try and find the palace. Movement by a rocky outcrop catches my eye, I glance over to see my little yellow fish. He darts towards me, swirling around my tail and through my hair.

"Can you show me where the palace is?"

He zips towards a rocky outcrop to my right, and I follow. He rounds the corner quickly, so fast I can't keep up. I come around the corner, but he's gone. I turn in a full circle, but it seems he's disappeared. As if materializing out of the waters, two mermen approach me. They are both wearing matching silver chest plates, and are brandishing sharp looking spears. One is a more middle aged looking man, with deep green eyes and light brown hair streaked with gray. His tail matches his eyes perfectly. The other is younger, about my age, with dark brown eyes and black hair. His tail is a dark golden yellow color. The older man's eyes are hard and unyielding, the younger one looks like he's trying his best to look mean. These are the city's guards.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" the older one demands.

All too soon, I remember the cover story Marina gave me back in Kai's house. I'm a visiting diplomat from another portion of the sea, here to visit the queen. I have to be rude, or they won't let me through.

"I am here to see the queen for diplomatic reasons." I say, mustering up my inner bitch.

"Why don't you have an escort?" he asks, still not quite buying into my story.

I sniff and stare down my nose at him, "I am coming for a private meeting for Selene. I see no need for an escort when I have two right here."

They glance at each other, and back at me. They won't turn away their queen's guests.

"Come with us, your Highness."

That's more like it. The guards come forward and stand on either side of me, the younger one to the right, and the older one to the left. They begin to swim back in the direction they came from, escorting me to the palace. We come around the corner of the rocky outcrop and emerge at the city's gates. There are more guards, armed with spears, that allow us to pass without a word. I notice them staring at my tail.

We head into the marketplace. The "shops" are small caves that have been carved into the rock. Some are selling live fish in cages, and others are selling clothes or weapons. Most townspeople nudge each other and point at me, whispering to themselves. Their stares are a mix of curiosity and admiration, which I suppose is a good thing. A little mermaid tugs on her mother's shirt, and points at me. Her eyes are lit up with excitement. I smile at her and she grins back, excited to be noticed by "royalty". We exit the marketplace and turn a corner, passing through an ornate silver gate. As before, the guards stationed there don't try to stop us. Suddenly, the palace looms into view. It is built into the rock, the height of a twenty story building. It is encrusted with pearls and sparkling gemstones, and surrounded by gardens of colorful marine plants. It's beautiful.

My two guards lead me through the courtyard to the ten foot tall front door. They pull on the well carved silver handles, and the doors glide open. A massive front hall is revealed, beautifully carved banisters and stairs all made of rock. Everything shimmers in the light, making the palace take on a mirage-like quality. As if at any moment, it could disappear. Mermaids and mermen alike bustle around the palace, cleaning or taking something somewhere. One pushes a cart laden with sweets and fish, another carries a tall stack of sheets. They appear and disappear through the many doors that lead to another part of the palace.

"This way." the middle aged guard says, pulling my attention away from the hectic chores.

They lead me through another door to the right of us, attended to by a guard. He lets us through with a nod, his eyes lingering on my tail. We swim through hallway after hallway, I soon lose track of where we are going. Before long, they stop at a massive door.

"Wait here." the older man says.

He knocks twice on the door and enters, closing it tightly behind him.

**Knight's back! yayyyyy omg he's got magic powers too how exciting. is Selene really going to be her mom? we'll find out... ;P thanks for reading! i hope you enjoyed. please review, favorite, and follow! 3**


	22. Resurface

**Resurface**

"What was your name, your Grace?" the young guard asks, breaking the silence.

"Relia." I respond. I see no reason not to tell him.

"And what part of the ocean are you from?" he inquires; a simple question that I don't know the answer to.

"I can't disclose that information," I say, my voice taking on a menacing quality, "I'm simply here for the signing of a peace treaty. Let's just say if things don't go well, this portion of the ocean will also be under my rule."

Fear flickers through his eyes, he doesn't respond but moves away from me a little. It looks like my act is convincing!

The middle aged guard comes back through the door, "Her Majesty will see you now."

"Thank you, kindly." I reply, gliding through the door with my head held high.

He closes it softly behind me. No doubt, what I told that young guard will be circling the city within the hour.

I'm in a lavish parlor, there are large silken couches and a stone coffee table, again encrusted with pearls and sparkling gemstones. There are doors on the right and left walls, and directly in front of me are a set of glass doors that lead to a balcony overlooking the city. There is no one here. Do I wait? I swim forward and seat myself on one of the couches, my back is to the right wall and door. I watch the ocean through the glass, schools of colorful fish swim back and forth. The room is quiet. I find myself getting more and more anxious. What if it's her? What if it isn't her? How will I explain myself then? But if it is… I feel a pang in my heart, I miss her so much. If Mom was here, she would know how to get home. Do I even want to go home? The door behind me opens softly, suddenly my anxiety becomes so bad I almost hyperventilate. I can't turn around. I need to turn around. I don't want to. I want to. Just do it already! I turn around slowly, the mermaid queen stands in the doorway. Her elegant silver tail is draped in sparkling pearls, but her tail doesn't shine as brightly as mine does. Her bikini top is metal, silver, and studded in diamonds and pearls. Her long brown hair frames her face, and there are those clear blue eyes like the sea on a sunny day, just like mine. My heart stops in my chest.

"Mom?" my voice comes out like a whisper.

Neither of us move to go towards each other. I can't move at all. Is it really her? Her face breaks into a smile, she looks like she's about to cry.

"Hi, honey."

She comes forward and wraps me in a hug, all I can do is hug her back. She's real. Here she is, hugging me. I start to cry, finally able to make a noise.

"I love you." I say between sobs.

"I love you more." she replies, stroking my head as I cry.

I finally gain control of myself and pull away, she takes me in.

"Your tail looks like mine," she says, pride leaking into her voice, "the tail of royalty. You're a princess, you know."

I take a deep breath, "Really?"

"Really. You can live here with me!"

"Oka-" I stop myself. What about Peter and the boys?

She sees my conflicting emotions on my face, "It's okay. We can talk about that later. Come here."

She leads me to the couch, sitting down next to me.

"What do you want to know?"

All of the questions that had been bubbling in my head disappear. What _do_ I want to know?

"Are you really the queen of this place?" I start, asking basic questions.

"Yes." she says with a smile, pointing to the glimmering tiara on her head.

"Is there a king?"

She pauses, "No. I have never married anyone."

"Have you ever loved anyone?" What if the love she felt for my dad was fake?

She nods, again looking she's about to cry, "Your father."

I'm about to cry too.

"Is he a mermaid?"

She shakes her head, "No."

"Is he even alive?" I ask, hope flickering inside of my chest.

She pauses, "No. He died in the explosion at his power plant."

"Right."

So that part wasn't fake. Next question.

"How did you bring Knight here?"

She looks taken aback, "Knight is here?"

"Yeah. He brought me to see you."

She leans back against the pillows.

"What's wrong?"

"He wasn't supposed to resurface for a while."

"What are you talking about?"

"Knight is the Dark One, the possessor of black magic. You know you've had him for as long as you've been alive? He came with your father and I when we came to the Mainland. His protection is what allowed us to remain hidden for so long. He's a rather powerful ally, but a dangerous one, too. We, um, made a deal with him, when you were born."

"What kind of deal?"

"In exchange for your protection, we gave you to him."

"You _what_?"

"Not like that, it was just if he ever needed a favor from you, he could use your magic. But only once."

"What do you mean my magic?"

"That's a conversation for later."

I sigh in frustration, "So if this thing ever needs me to kill someone for him, I have to?"

"Well it might not be to kill someone, but yes. He knows what your powers are and how to use them, and he plans on doing so. But only when he needs to. He may practice dark magic, but he's not evil."

"We're talking about my horse as if he's a person."

"Oh, he is a person. He just prefers the giant unicorn form. His name is Luca."

"And how do you know Luca?"

Mom sighs, "I really didn't want to get into this conversation."

"Please, tell me! I need to know what this guy could do."

"Luca is... Captain Hook's brother."

I suck in a breath. Hook is already terrifying. What about him, but with magic powers? That sounds awful.

"And how did he become the Dark One?"

"He was chosen. He was, um, killed, by Peter, and his death happened under some special circumstances. So he got to come back, and he had powers."

"_Peter_? Peter Pan _killed_ him?"

"Yes," she notices my horrified expression, "but don't worry about Peter."

"What do you mean don't worry about Peter? He killed someone!"

"Yes, I know that, but you should try to look at both sides of the story before you judge someone."

That makes sense. Killing Hook would be justified, and if Luca is anything like Hook, I wouldn't blame Peter. But Luca is Knight? My horse? My big, gentle giant that loved to give me hugs? That makes absolutely no sense. My head is spinning. Hook has a brother, that was murdered by Peter, that can change into a horse, that possess dark magic, that _owns _me? My parents must have thought it was worth it to give me to him in exchange for his protection, he must be very powerful.

"Well, what have you been doing?" Mom asks, obviously trying to change the subject.

How much do I tell her? I can't tell her about Hook and my leg.

"Um, well, I've been living with Peter and the boys in his hideout, hiding from Aleksander, you know. The usual." I manage a weak smile.

"Are you scared?" she asks.

A simple question, really, but it cuts deep. Am I? I've spent so much time trying to figure out what to do with myself, I haven't really thought about how I feel. Yes, I've been scared. But am I? Right now?

"I-I don't know. I am, a little bit. I just don't know what to do." I whisper.

She pulls me in for a hug, "I know. But I'm here now. I can help."

"Yeah, I know."

We're quiet for a moment.

"I should get back to Peter."

She pulls away, grabbing my shoulders, "Really? You don't want to stay?"

"I do. But I left without telling him where I was going. I have to go back."

She stands and pulls me up, "I understand. I love you. Come back soon."

"Love you too." I reply.

"Just introduce yourself as the princess. They'll know you. I talk about my long lost princess all the time, but here you are."

She smiles at me affectionately, pulling me in for a hug.

"Be back soon."

"I will." I respond.

She pulls away and goes to the door, placing her fingers on the handle.

"Be safe."

Pressing a kiss to my forehead, she opens the door.

"Goodbye." I say, smiling at her.

"Goodbye." Mom replies.

I walk through the door, the two guards are waiting in the hallway. The queen closes the door behind us. They both straighten quickly; clearly, the young guard has told his elder my threat.

"I'll be leaving now," I tell them pleasantly, "escort me to the borders, please."

They pause for a moment, unsure of what my good mood may mean. The older guard swims forward, and begins to lead me down the hallway. The younger hastily follows suit.

"Uh," the younger guard clears his throat, "how was your meeting, your Majesty?"

"Fine, thank you." I reply. I think I may tease them a bit. They don't need to know that I am now their princess. Not yet, anyway.

He falls silent, trying to read between my words. We make our way back to the front doors of the palace, which again glide open seamlessly. They lead me through the courtyard and out of the palace gates. We enter the marketplace, where I am again met with stares of curiosity and admiration. They don't know who I am yet. Maybe they will, soon. We end up at the city's gates, they stop just inside.

"Thank you, gentlemen."

"Our pleasure, Queen Relia." the older guard responds, a cautious smile creeping onto his face.

I return his smile, "Oh, you needn't call me that. I'm your princess, not your queen."

I turn away just in time to see their faces light up.

"I knew it!" the young merman shouts as I swim away.

"Hush!" the older scolds.

I let out a small giggle of excitement. I'm a princess. A real princess! Lost in thought, I swim around the corner of the rock outcrop we swam by before. I don't get far until I smack into someone who is clearly in a hurry. Those blue eyes rise to meet mine. That brown hair hasn't changed at all, his arms are still tan and strong. Confusion crosses his face.

"Relia?"

"Kai?"

"I," Kai stutters, "you…"

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, bubbles puffing from his lips, "Hey."

I laugh at his sweet, awkward behavior, he seems so flustered.

"Hi." I reply.

His eyes won't stop roaming over me, taking in my face, tail, shirt, and other features.

Kai cocks his head, "You've changed. I can't figure out how, but you have. You're very far from normal, you know."

I smile, "I'm going to take that as a compliment."

He grins back, happy I remember our conversation from days ago, "You should."

We lapse into silence, taking each other in. I feel awful. I keep pushing him away, but I want him more than anything. He's such a kind person. I want him to get what he deserves. He deserves a princess. Wait a second. He finally breaks the silence, his hands running their familiar path through his hair yet again.

"What are you doing here?" he asks softly.

"I came to see the queen."

"And?"

He'll be the first to hear the news.

"It was her. My mother is the queen." I say, trying out the words on my tongue. It still doesn't sound real.

His face lights up, he rushes forward and wraps me in a hug.

"That's amazing!"

He hugs me so suddenly I almost pull away. Do I let myself love him? I hug him back, my fingers tracing the toned muscles of his back. He pulls away and bows.

"Princess."

I let out a laugh before I can stop myself. He raises his head, a spark in those kind eyes, and extends his hand towards me. I gingerly take it, and he slowly brings it to his mouth. He presses a tender kiss to the back of my hand, never breaking eye contact with me. Butterflies rush through my stomach. He rises back to his full height, not letting go of my hand. I can't even speak. Do I want this? Do I truly want this?

Kai brings my hand up behind his head, I bring my other one up so they're clasped around his neck. He brings his hands around my waist, pulling me into him. We're so close our noses touch, but there's something stopping me from kissing him. I don't want to commit to him, and have to break his heart. I'm just not ready to say yes. A shadow passes overhead, the moment is broken. We look up to see a small rowboat on the surface of the lagoon, Kai's face darkens.

"I'll handle this." he growls.

"What do you mean?"

"Just stay here."

Yeah, right. I follow him to the lagoon's surface, hiding behind the rock. I peer out from around the side of the rock to see Kai cutting towards the boat from the water below. The boat's occupants are scanning the water, waiting for him to surface. It's Hook and Smee. Kai rises from the water until he can meet their eyes, he looks mean. Not like the Kai I know.

"Captain James Hook," Kai says with a cocky grin, over enunciating each word, "to what do we owe the honor?"

Hook rolls his eyes, sarcasm dripping from his voice, "Relax, _Triton_. We're here on peaceful terms."

He leans forward, intensity in his voice, "We're looking for a girl. Long brown hair, light blue eyes, pretty as a siren."

Did Hook just call me pretty?

"She fell from my ship a few days ago, and I haven't seen her since."

Kai cocks his head, "I don't know who you're talking about, but if you're ready to blame the mermaids, don't. We don't harm any living creature but those who provoke us."

Kai gives Hook a pointed look.

Hook leans lazily back on the bow of the boat, "Well if you see anything, let me know. We'll be docked for a few more days before we head out again."

"Where will you be going, may I ask?"

"The Mainland." Hook says, with a wicked glint in his eye.

Kai is about to say something, but Hook cuts him off, "If you see anything, let us know."

Kai gives a mock salute, puffing out his chest, "Sure thing, Captain."

Hook glares at him, and Kai dives beneath the waves. Hook scans the trees, I duck behind the rock before he can see me.

"I know she's not dead," he murmurs, "I can sense it."

"We'll find her, Cap'n." Smee says reassuringly, trying to stop the pirate's inevitable tantrum.

They fall silent, I think they're gone. I peer out from behind the rock, but they haven't left. Hook's eyes are trained on my pants and boots, still neatly folded on the beach. Oh no.

"Smee," he says, his voice almost a whisper, "are those…?

Smee looks in the direction his captain is staring at, his eyes widen, "I-I believe so."

"The merman was lying," Hook growls, "she's here. What have they done to her?"

He's genuinely worried about me.

"We'll find her," Smee says soothingly, desperately trying to calm him, "I promise."

"We can't just go deep sea diving, for fuck's sake!" he shouts. Here we go.

"She's down there somewhere, hurt and alone. If I hadn't walked away she wouldn't have disappeared in the bloody first place! She's probably dead already, she can't fucking breathe under water!"

Now I know where the term "cursing like a sailor" comes from. He whirls on his cowering first mate, dramatically rocking their small boat. Hook jabs a finger into his chest, his voice coming out low and menacing.

"We _will_ find her, Smee."

The poor man nods quickly, "Come on, we need to get back to the ship. We should form a plan, right Cap'n?"

Hook sighs and nods, his anger passes, "You're right. This is war. And we will win."

I want to tell him I'm here, that I'm okay. Is it worth showing him what I am? I have to stop this "war", there's no use getting into a battle over me. I slowly come out from behind the rock to call to him, but a hand claps over my mouth, stifling my scream.

_**omggggg so many surprises this chapter! Hook has a brother? a dead, not so dead, magical brother that was concealing himself as Relia's beloved horse for so many years? oooooooh sounds like trouble to me.. thanks for your support and love! you guys are the best. please review, favorite, and follow! 3**_


	23. Soaking Wet

**Soaking Wet**

"Let's go." Hook murmurs.

No. I have to show him I'm okay! That large hand doesn't remove itself from over my mouth despite my struggles.

"Yes, Cap'n." Smee replies.

I can hear the sound of oars being dragged through the water, and the lagoon becomes quiet. They're gone. Dammit! What's going to happen now? Kai spins me around and presses me into his chest.

"What are you doing? I thought I told you not to come up here."

I'm still shaking from the sudden shock of being grabbed and silenced, but he thinks nothing of it. Those blue orbs pierce mine, waiting for an answer.

"I-I'm sorry. I just wanted to see who it was."

He sighs and lets go of me, "Curiosity will get you killed, Relia. Please be more careful."

I smile up at him, "But some risks are worth taking, right?"

Kai stares at me thoughtfully for a few seconds, "Right."

He grabs the back of my head and tilts my face up towards his.

"Is this a risk worth taking?" he whispers softly, eyes searching.

I slowly reach up and wrap my right hand around his neck, entwining my fingers in his thick hair. His breathing quickens, his eyes focus on mine. Looking for my answer.

_Yes_.

I bring up my left hand, and place a fingertip at his collarbone. Softly, I trace the defined lines of his chest, my finger swooping down over his stomach. He lets out a soft sigh as I feel the contours of his body, allowing myself to lightly skim the area where skin meets scales. My finger glides back up to his face, where I brush my thumb over his jawline. Kai closes his eyes, letting the tide move him. Has anyone ever touched him like this? I bring my left hand behind his neck to join my right, and pull him closer to my face. He's breathing hard, his bare chest rising and falling in front of me. I feel… powerful. It's me making him feel this way. His eyes open again, and lock on mine. They look brighter than before, as if they're glowing. He brings his hands up to cup my face, adrenaline pumps through my veins even quicker than before. He holds me delicately, like I'm a piece of glass. I softly tug on his hair, trying to show him it's okay. I'm not fine china. Kai's lips curve up into a delicious smirk. He got my message. He leans forward, pressing my back into the cold rock. We're so close our noses are touching, I can feel his heated breath on my cheeks. The world seems to move in slow motion, the sound of the waves is amplified in my ears.

Suddenly, we're on each other so quickly it's hard to tell who kissed who first. He tangles his fingers of his right hand into my hair, holding me steady. His other hand travels down to my waist, grasping firmly and pulling me into him. I pull on his neck, dragging him deeper into our kiss. We fit together perfectly. He presses me harder into the stone, sending excited tingles up my spine. He moves his mouth to my jawline, leaving a trail of burning kisses. He kisses my neck. I gasp softly as his lips find my sweet spot, which he lightly bites. I move my hands from his neck to his back, feeling his muscles flex beneath my palms. He moves to my collarbone. As he continues his path along my shoulder, his left hand lightly trails back up my side. My body erupts into goosebumps as he moves his mouth back to mine and kisses me with more passion than before.

Kai's lips are salty with the sea. I let out a soft moan that was totally not meant to be audible, but he hears. He laughs into my neck as he moves back to my sweet spot. I gasp again as he gently nibbles on my neck, making my body shiver. I didn't know he could do this. My eyes snap open as he bites harder on my neck, I wrap my fingers into his hair and tug, telling him that I love it. I glance over at the sandy beach, my pants and boots are still there. My original goal floats back into my hazy thoughts. Peter. I have to get back. I need to confront him about Luca. I untangle my fingers from his hair and grab both sides of his face, pulling his head up from my neck. He responds by bringing his hands up to my face, too. We're both panting. We just stare into each other's eyes, catching our breath.

"I have to go." I whisper softly.

Kai smiles gently, "I know."

I smile back. His smile makes me happy.

"Please come back soon." he says, almost pleading.

"I will."

I rise out of the water and press a light kiss on his full lips. He kisses me back, running his hands through my hair. We pull away and gaze at each other. I drop my hands first. He lowers his left, but keeps his right hand on my cheek. He laughs suddenly, cocking his head at me. It makes me laugh too.

"What?"

"I just…" he rubs his thumb along my jawline, "you're so very far from normal."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

My smile leaves me glowing, I feel truly happy for the first time in a while.

"You should." he mumbles as he kisses me again.

"It seems like," he pecks my lips, "I've been waiting," he kisses my cheek, "for so long," he kisses my neck, "to kiss you." he says, kissing my forehead.

"Now I can't stop." his smile radiates happiness.

I press another kiss to his lips, combing my fingers through his tousled, wet hair.

"I'll be back soon."

"I'll be waiting." he stares into my eyes for a moment, before his hand slips from my cheek.

"Bye." he says.

"Bye." I smile at him.

He gives my cheek one last quick kiss before he dives into the waves, leaving me alone in the afternoon sun. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and with it comes a feeling of giddiness. I can have Kai. I _have_ Kai. He's mine. I smile to myself. I change back to my set of human legs, climbing out of the lagoon and to my clothes. I pull on my clothes. I yank on my boots. With one last glance at the shimmering waters, I make my way back into the towering trees of Neverland. I wander through the forest, waiting for the hideout to reveal itself. I'm not in a rush. I let my mind drift through today's events, daydreaming about who knows what. The sound of snapping branches snaps me out of my thoughts, I stop in my tracks. Where is that sound coming from? It hits me then, the branches above my head are cracking. No sooner have I peered through the trees Peter lands less than a foot in front of me. He's out of breath, and angry.

"Why do you keep leaving?" he demands.

I raise my head, a bit of defiance in my gaze, "I'm sorry. I had to go see my mother."

That answer surprises him, he pauses, "Your mother?"

It feels nice to be the one to know something first. Like how he killed someone? I keep seeing blood on his hands. I blink, shaking the vision away. He finally takes in my soaked clothing and hair, and realization dawns on his face.

"Right. Selene."

Now it's my turn to pause, "You knew?"

"Knew what?" he asks, but something in his voice tells me he knows exactly what I'm talking about.

"Selene is my mother. You knew?"

He breaks into a cocky smile, which only infuriates me more.

"Of course I knew. It was my idea to bring you to Neverland in the first place."

"_And you never thought to tell me_?"

He cocks his head, eyes hardening. Oh, so know he's mad at me? He killed someone. Suddenly, I find myself not wanting to confront him. What if he kills me, too? No. He wouldn't. Luca probably did something to him. His death was probably necessary. Peter isn't a violent person. The blood on Peter's fingertips catches my attention. I blink, and it's gone again. I should stop worrying. He did what he had to do, and he wouldn't hurt me. I need to stop worrying about his problems as if they're my own.

"It didn't seem important at the time."

"Peter. Bullshit."

I move to walk past him, but he grabs my arm as I pass.

"Hey. Sorry."

All of that irritating childlike behavior has seemingly disappeared. Now it's back to normal Peter. His eyes soften a little. That odd burst of anger passes as if it was never there in the first place.

He smiles brightly, "I have an idea. I'll send a message to Selene. You need a formal coronation!"

"A coronation?" I ask, confused. I'm not quite ready to trust him and his mood swings.

"You are a princess, after all. We just have to make it official."

There's a part of me that wants to hold a grudge. But, this is Peter Pan for goodness sake. I let a small smile creep onto my face.

"Okay."

He smiles at me, "How does tomorrow sound?"

I blink, "Tomorrow?"

"Absolutely. The sooner the better, huh?"

"I-I suppose."

At least I'll get to see Kai again.

"Great. I'll meet you back at the hideout."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to pull a few strings for you."

"Wha-"

Peter jumps into the air and soars out of the treetops, leaving me alone. I sigh and glance back down at the forest floor, where the trapdoor has appeared. Well, that's convenient. I open the door and descend into the hideout. The boys are on me in an instant.

"Where were you?"

"Why are you wet?"

"What did you do?"

"Peter was looking for you."

"He's going to be so mad."

A sudden headache comes on, I close my eyes and rub my temples. When I open them again, the little boys are staring at me expectantly.

"I'm just a little tired. Could I have some alone time, please?"

They back away immediately and let me pass. I push aside the thick bear pelt and enter my room, flopping onto the bed. I'm trying to sort through the rush of emotions flying through me and file them away. Here we go.

_Happiness_. Happy because of Kai, and Peter, and Mom, and… Hook. I banish the thought from my head before it can blossom into something more. It's just him trying to enact that stupid revenge plan, and I'm just a pawn in the game. I almost laugh at how naive I sound. Ah, teenagers and love. Kai's gaze floats back into my thoughts, and that excited jitter runs through me again. Do I want to live under the waters in a crystalline palace as a princess with the man of my dreams? It almost sounds too good to be true. Maybe I do. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I hate maybes. Peter makes me happy because it's him. He's so kind, and funny, and smart, and, well, Peter. He's everything I thought Peter Pan would be like, in a twenty year old's body. My mother makes me happy because I'm not alone, I have someone who is on my side and won't keep things from me. Unlike some other people on this island.

_Sadness_. Sad because my dad really is dead. I thought that maybe this place would be magical enough for a miracle, but maybe that's a bit of a stretch. Oh well. FEAR. Fear because I don't know what Aleksander is planning and when he might strike, and it seems like there's a war brewing between mermaids and pirates that could potentially be over me, and there are still so many things I don't know. What is going to happen next? How can I make sure that everyone I love will be okay? And, Peter killed someone. How do I know that he won't hurt me? Was what he did justified? Knight is so sweet and loving, is Luca the same? Or was it just an act?

I inhale and exhale, burying my face deep into the pillow. My head and heart both feel a lot clearer, but there's still something there. Something I can't quite decipher. It hits me then like a punch in the stomach. Love. I feel love. Towards whom? Kai, I know. But there's something else. I can't figure it out.

"Knock, knock." Peter's voice comes from behind me.

_**holy crap! Peter killed someone! and now Luca is back for revenge, and Relia owes him a favor! uh oh. please remember to review, favorite, and follow, and I'll see ya next chapter! :D**_


	24. Love

**Love**

Peter has a tentative smile on his face, almost as if he doesn't know how I'm going to respond to him. Honestly, I'm feeling tired and a little upset, and I'm still mildly terrified of him. But, I'll hide it.

"Hi." I say, a weary smile gracing my features.

His smile widens, he takes a few steps into the room, "I was able to speak with Marina. Your coronation is tomorrow. You'll need to wake up bright and early to get there on time."

I frown, "Aren't you coming?"

His smile darkens, "Well, without Terence, I don't have the magic I need to breathe underwater. So that's going to be a no."

"Oh."

"Well," Peter's smile brightens again, "get some sleep. I'll wake you up in the morning."

He turns to leave, but as his hand touches the bear pelt, I find myself not wanting him to go. Who is it that I feel love for? Maybe I should try to find out. I shouldn't let his past affect my relationship with him.

"Peter?"

He turns, "Yes?"

I can feel a soft blush creeping up my cheeks, "Will you stay with me tonight?"

He pauses, tilting his head ever so slightly, "Yeah. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay."

He smiles at me and leaves the room. At that moment my eyes fall on the pair of pajamas at the foot of my bed. A very soft looking pair of light pink sleep shorts, and a long sleeved white shirt that looks very similar to Peter's. I climb off of the sheets and peel off my boots. I pull off my pants and slide the shorts up my legs, reveling in the softness of them. I tug my shirt over my head and replace it with the new one. As I pull it on, I discover it is his. It smells like him. A sudden sense of sleepiness falls over me, surrounded by Peter's scent I feel relaxed. I run my fingers through my hair and blow out the lantern, climbing underneath the covers. I'm so tired, I'm about to fall asleep. I can't yet. Peter enters soon enough, quiet as a mouse. I wonder what he would do if he thought I was asleep?

He climbs in behind me, I can feel his warmth against my back. He moves cautiously, as if he's trying not to wake me. He wraps his bare arms around me and pulls me into his chest, it's then I realize he's not wearing a shirt. This revelation sends a rush of butterflies through my stomach. Peter softly brushes my hair off of my face and presses a gentle kiss to my temple.

"Sleep well," he whispers softly, "I'm here."

It's taking literally all the will power I have not to turn around a press a big kiss to his mouth. This is all so confusing. Is it possible to love two different people? Is it possible to love a murderer? No. Not a murderer. That's in the past. He wouldn't hurt me. Slowly, I turn to face him. Although I can't see his face clearly in the darkness, I can tell there's a hot blush igniting his cheeks. Love. Love. Love. Love for Peter?

"I didn't know you were awake." he mumbles softly. Despite his embarrassment, however, his hand tightens in my hair.

I smile, "It's okay. But I have a problem."

"What is it?" he asks, a slight tinge of worry in his tone.

"You missed."

He pauses, "I what?"

"You missed." I whisper.

My adrenaline is firing at a mile a millisecond. I wonder if he can hear how fast my heart is beating. I swing my leg over his hips, straddling him, and press a kiss to his lips. It seems as if everything I've been feeling evaporates. I want this. I want him. Peter doesn't kiss me back at first, he's too shocked to think. But then he moves into action, gripping my waist with his hands, and kissing me back. Hard. I can tell we're thinking the same thing. Right now, the clarity cuts like a knife. It's always been him. It feels as if we can't get enough of each other. Like we can't stop. With Kai, there was an easiness, as if we had known each other for so long that it was habit. But with Peter, it's new and exciting, and it makes my stomach ache with butterflies. I can feel something between the two of us, something that looks like it's struggling to break out of his pants… Suddenly I'm snapped back to reality. I'm being crowned tomorrow. I have Kai. That's how it's supposed to be. Not like this. I pull away and climb off of him. We're both out of breath.

"What's wrong?" he pants.

"I-I'm sorry. I just…"

He sits up and softly cups my cheek, I can't look up at him. I'm having a hard time thinking.

"Hey," he tilts my face up, forcing me to look into his eyes, "It's okay. It's fine. I understand."

I look up at him, suddenly on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize."

Peter leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead, before pulling me back onto the pillows beneath us. I curl into his chest, not even bothering to sort through the flurry of emotions battling their way through my head. I try to keep my tears quiet, but Peter hears. He pulls away from me.

"Oh, Relia," he chuckles softly, and wipes the tears off of my cheek with his thumb, "please don't cry. Why are you crying?"

I laugh through my tears, "I'm sorry. I just feel bad that I just… I just can't."

"Can't what?"

"I can't… be with you right now. I'm sorry."

He's about to say something, but I cut him off with a kiss. I sink into his chest, and his arms wrap around my waist, holding me against him. This love feels new and exciting, and dangerous. I'm not supposed to be loving him, I'm supposed to be loving Kai.

"Just give me some time."

"I'll wait for as long as you need." he murmurs.

"I know."

"Get some sleep. I'll be right here."

"Okay."

I curl against his chest again, soaking up the warmth. Suddenly everything clicks into place. Love. It's for him. I love Peter. I. Love. Peter. My grin is so wide my face might break. But there's still something else there. A little bit of love that doesn't belong to Peter or Kai. I fall asleep before another thought can hit me, tucked into Peter's chest.

* * *

I wake up to the dim early morning light and soft lips on mine.

"Good morning." Peter murmurs, his voice still husky from sleep.

"Good morning." I respond, rolling into him.

"You should get ready to go."

"I suppose I should."

He climbs out of bed and stretches. I admire how his strong arm and back muscles flex beneath his skin as he turns back to me. I can't tear my eyes away fast enough, he catches me staring and flashes a wicked grin. My cheeks heat with my blush as he slowly, gently climbs back onto my bed. He kisses me again, long and deep. I sigh into his lips. I could get used to this. But I can't. I pull away ever so slightly and run my fingers through his hair. Those bright emerald eyes shine as brightly as the gems themselves.

"I need to get going." I whisper.

He pouts and kisses me again, "I know. I just don't want to."

"Is it a bad thing that I don't want to either?"

"I would say that's a good thing." he says, smiling at me.

I giggle, "Okay. Let's go."

I move to stand and climb out of the bed, but he catches my arm and yanks me back down onto the pillows.

"A few minutes won't kill anyone." he says softly, eyes roaming over my body.

"Oh, fine."

Peter laughs and peppers my neck with kisses, laying me down onto the pillows and positioning himself above me, in between my legs. He continues to kiss me, letting his hands roam about my waist and stomach. I run mine through his hair and down his back, involuntarily wrapping my legs around his waist. He opens my mouth with his lips, massaging my tongue with his. It's so sweet and light, yet we're in quite a position. It feels as if he's taking his time. It's because he respects me, I told him to give me time and he is. It's my turn to take the next step. Which won't be happening until I sort through my feelings. Which may take a while. With that thought, I gently place my palms on his shoulders and push him away.

He sighs, "I was hoping you wouldn't stop me this time."

I smile comfortingly at him, "I know. But we really should get going. I have a feeling that this is something I can't be late too."

He chuckles, "You're right. Change and come eat breakfast."

"Okay."

He smiles at me warmly, and exits the room. I can hear the boys shout their good mornings from the breakfast table. Peter mumbles something softly, something that I can't make out. Hm. I climb out of bed and change into my pants and shirt, slipping on my boots and tying my sash around my waist. I run my fingers through my hair and pinch my cheeks for some color. I have to look good today. I exit my bedroom to find the main room empty. Not a single boy in sight. I wonder where they went?

"Boo." I hear from above me.

Looking up, I find Peter sitting on the ceiling, a lazy grin on his face.

I smile up at him, "What are you doing up there?"

"Distracting you."

"What?"

"You know, when you get someone to look at something while someone does something else while they aren't looking?"

I roll my eyes, "I know what a distraction is."

He bursts into laughter.

"Why are you laughing?"

He pauses to catch his breath, "It seems my distraction worked."

"It-" I stop myself as I realize what he's saying.

"Surprise!" the boys shout.

I turn my attention away from Peter to find a table laden with meats, fruits, freshly squeezed orange juice, and even something that looks like pancakes.

Bunny runs up to me and wraps me in a hug, "It's for your coronation."

He awkwardly stumbles over the word "coronation", making it sound more like "cornshun", but it's sweet all the same.

I hug him back, "Thanks, Bunny."

"We even made your oatmeal!" Slightly says proudly, as Nibs lifts the lid of a steaming pot full of my apple cinnamon oatmeal.

"Oh, boys. Thank you!"

Peter drops to the floor in front of me, taking me by the hand and leading me towards the table. Bunny takes my other hand. Peter pulls out a chair at the end of the table with a bow.

"Your highness."

I giggle, "Why thank you, kind sir."

He grins at me as I sit, he pushes my chair in behind me.

"Dig in, gentlemen!" Peter shouts, and the boys oblige gratefully.

I take a little bit of everything. My first bite is the oatmeal, the boys pause their feast to see how I like it.

"It's even better than mine. Good work."

Slightly and Nibs high-five each other. After we've all eaten our share, the boys clear the plates and cups. I stand to leave.

"Good luck!" the boys call as I climb to the trapdoor with Peter. With one last hug from Bunny I make my way out into the warm morning sunshine. The birds are chirping and the sun is bright. A black mass casts a shadow over us, and Peter draws his dagger as he moves in front of me.

"Stay back. He's dangerous." he growls.

Butterflies erupt in my stomach. Knight, or, Luca, looks positively terrifying. He's huge, and his obsidian eyes are sharp with anger. His ears are flattened back against his skull, and he lowers his head as if he's prepared to strike. Is he upset with Peter? Or is he just protecting me? He revolted against his own brother back home when Hook showed up because he wanted to protect me. I need to trust that he won't hurt me.

"It's okay." I murmur softly, stepping out from behind Peter and extending my hand to the huge horse.

Knight immediately softens, nuzzling into my hand. Peter slowly tucks his dagger away, a stunned expression on his face.

"How do you… What does…" he trails off, speechless.

His reaction tells me that he doesn't know who Knight really is. I'm not going to reveal Knight's real identity to him. What if they get in to a fight?

"What's wrong?" I ask, pulling away from Knight and stroking his smooth back.

"He's the Dark One. The possessor of black magic. He's dangerous."

"This is Knight. He's my horse."

"Knight." Peter repeats, looking up at his shimmering white horn.

"He's here to take me to my coronation."

Peter cocks his head, "Alright then."

I smile at him and walk forward into his arms.

"I'll be good from here. I'll see you later."

"Be back by sundown." he replies, dipping his head to kiss me.

His kiss is soft but full of passion, again as if he's holding back. I know he is. It only makes me love him more. Knight nickers, interrupting us. Is he annoyed with Peter? Or does he want to get a move on? I'm frustrated that I don't know what he's thinking.

"Bye." I whisper.

"Bye." he responds.

I press a kiss to his cheek, and turn to Knight.

"Ready?"

He bobs his head yes, and gestures to a large boulder. I get the message, and climb on to the boulder. I swing my leg over his back and tighten my hold on his mane. Peter waves good bye as Knight trots away through the forest. Conflict avoided. Knight stops a little way from the shore to allow me to change, I wouldn't want another catastrophe with Hook. I feel yet another pang in my chest to think about those days spent on his ship. Absentmindedly, I lightly trail my fingers along my knee to find it… smooth? Where are those ugly scars? I feel absolutely nothing but smooth skin. How is that even possible? I suppose it must go back to Henry and his mentioning of my fast healing ability. This is most definitely going to be a good day.

I turn back to Knight. How do I communicate with this horse?

"Luca?"

Knight stills, gazing down at me with a stony expression, but does nothing. Maybe he's not ready to talk to me, yet. A brief thought flutters through my head. What if my mother was lying? No. She wouldn't. I just shouldn't be so trusting of people. My mother wouldn't lie to me. I take off my boots, pants, shirt, and sash, wrapping my bikini bottoms around my wrist. I turn back to Knight to say goodbye, but he's gone. Oh well. I pick my way through the trees until the forest floor turns to sand beneath my toes. The water shimmers in the sunlight, illuminating a familiar small boat on the water. I recognize Hook just as his sword plunges into Kai's chest. My scream is so loud it seems the world has stopped.

_**omg cliffhanger much? I hope you enjoyed! please remember to review, favorite, and follow, and I'll see ya next chapter! mwah 3**_


	25. Old Flame

**Old Flame**

I'm paralyzed, unable to move.

The waves seem to stop churning.

The winds seem to stop blowing.

The birds seem to stop chirping.

But all too soon we're back again, and Hook is looking for the source of the bloodcurdling scream that came from my lips. I'm diving into the water faster than I could have thought possible. I crash into Hook's boat so forcefully that it flips. Hook drops Kai into the water, where he begins to sink. Blood is everywhere, seeping from his wound and turning the crystalline water crimson. I rush forward and grab him, tugging him towards the shore and onto the sandy beach. I'm running solely on adrenaline, but my tears are falling faster by the second. Kai is gasping with pain. He's losing so much blood.

"Kai," my tongue feels foreign in my dry mouth, "Kai, please look at me."

His eyes flutter open, they're bloodshot and red, "Relia?"

I manage a tiny smile as my tears drip down onto his face, "Yeah. Yeah, it's me. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Yes it is," my tears well up in my eyes again, spilling down my cheeks, "I'm so sorry Kai."

Kai wraps loose fingers around mine, "It's okay. None of this is your fault."

There's no point arguing. He coughs, blood dripping down his chin. I wipe it away as best I can with my shaking hand.

"Bring me to the water, please." his voice is turning raspy and quiet.

I comply as best I can, pulling his heavy body waist deep into the waves. He slowly reaches up and strokes my tear stained face.

"You're so beautiful. And kind. And smart. You're the perfect princess. And," he pauses for a shaky breath, "I love you."

Kai coughs again, blood spattering my chest, but it doesn't even register with me. He said it. He told me he loved me.

I can't stop crying, "Kai. I love you too. It's going to be okay."

I lean down and kiss his raw lips.

He gazes into my eyes, "I know it will be. Be safe. I won't be here to protect you."

"Of course you will!" I say sharply.

"Of course I will." he manages a weak smile.

His hand begins to slip from my face.

"Kai."

He can't bring his hand back to my face, his eyes slide closed.

"Kai?"

Panic digs into my chest. No. No no no.

"Wake up, Kai. Please wake up!"

My sobs hitch in my ribcage, I can't bring myself to let go of his hand. Wait. I can heal him! I softly place a fingertip on his chest, prodding his wound. Nothing.

"Come on."

I press a little harder, urging him to wake up, to hug me again.

"It's not working. It's not working!"

I'm screaming to myself, but I don't care. My tears fall into the salty lagoon, mixing with his blood. My sobs are now way past hysterical. He can't be dead. This is my fault! Hook started a war over me. If I had just told him I was okay, Kai would still be alive. Kai wouldn't have to die at my hands. This is my fault. And I can't even heal him. No. He can't be dead. A huge hole seems to open in my chest, threatening to suck away the remains of my shattered heart.

Kai is dead.

And it's my fault.

I killed him.

He loved me and I killed him.

My body gives out from beneath me, I flop down next to him. He can't be dead. He can't be. I've been reduced to a sobbing mess. But no one is here to see. So it doesn't matter. I can cry all I want. Because he's dead. A hand on my shoulder makes me flinch. I turn to find Hook standing knee-deep in the water, his expression too hard to read.

"Come on, let's go."

"No. I'm not going to leave him. And I sure as hell am not going with _you_."

It may have been my fault that he's dead, but Hook is the one that stabbed him. I don't want to be comforted by Kai's killer.

He sighs, "We need to leave now."

"Why? Give me one good reason why."

"You're people will think that you killed him."

"My people?"

Hook rolls his eyes and gestures to my tail, "Aye, your _people_."

I don't even have the strength for a reply. My body feels like it's shutting down. I feel like I'm shutting down. I glance over at Kai, motionless as the tide laps at the blood on his chest. He looks like he's sleeping, but I know it's much more than that. My tears well back up into my eyes and spill over. I wrap my arms around his chest, resting my head on his shoulder.

"I love you. I love you so much. I'm so sorry."

Hook places his hand on my arm again, "Relia. We need to go now, love."

"No, _I_ have to go."

He rolls his eyes impatiently, "Where are you going?"

"That's not important. You need to leave."

"Now you're telling _me_ to leave?"

"Yes, I am. You need to go."

He tilts his head, calculating. Hook never trusts anyone or anything. That's a weakness.

"Fine. I'll leave when I know you're safe."

"Well, I'm safe right here. So you can leave now."

"So much for being a gentleman."

"Says the man who murdered someone less than five minutes ago." I respond bitterly, a bite in my voice I've never heard before.

He sighs indignantly, before turning on his heel and striding through the water. Slowly but surely, he gets deeper and deeper in. Soon enough he's swimming through the lagoon towards his small boat. He climbs in with one swift tug from his strong arms, and begins to row without looking back at me. As soon as he is out of sight, I slump. Kai's body still lies in the sand of the lagoon, his blood having long since stopped pumping. I still can't believe he's dead. I wince just thinking the word. Death is such a sad thought.

What do I do now?

I have to get to my coronation, what do I do with Kai? I need to bring him back to the city. Marina and my mother will know what to do. But the townspeople can't see him. So that idea is out. Peter? But how do I get Kai to the hideout? A breeze picks up then, lifting the air from my neck and drying my eyes. An odd twinkling sound fills the air, seeming to ride the wind. It's beautiful, mesmerizing. I only realize my eyes were closed when they flutter open, to reveal a man standing over me. He is dressed in a soft tunic and pants, with a bow and quiver strapped over his broad back. His eyes are a piercing blue so lightly colored they look like ice. They regard me cooly, calmly. As if he knows me. His stance is proud and intimidating. Nothing like how he was before. Tall, shimmering, transparent wings spring from his back, delicate yet strong. They glitter in the sunlight, sending soft flecks of light springing over my face.

"Luke?"

I blink once, hard, trying to clear my head.

"What are you doing here?"

Instead of his usual smile, I'm greeted with impartial eyes.

"I'll take care of him. You need to get to your coronation and tell no one of what you have seen."

His response is so cold and sharp. No, "hello". No, "Hey, I realize I've been gone for the past few weeks and have somehow managed to appear on the same island as you. Did I mention I have wings?"

"I-" I blink, he's gone.

Kai is still laying in the sand beneath me, the waves softly lapping at his body. I suppose I'll have to trust this new Luke. I take a deep breath and gather my strength. I give Kai one last kiss, diving into the waves without a backwards glance. If I look back I might never be able to leave him. The water envelopes me in its warm embrace, washing away Kai's blood and my tears. What is Luke going to do to him? I can't even begin to think of what it could possibly be. And he has wings? Is he a pixie? I thought they were supposed to be tiny. I don't notice the guards until they almost run into me. It's the usual pairing, the older and younger. They bow in unison, I blush. I quickly regain my composure and raise my head.

"You don't have to bow."

They rise uncertainly, the younger one smiles at me.

"Your highness," the older says, "we're here to escort you to the palace."

"Alright. Lead the way."

The guards assume their usual positions on either side of me, and we swim in silence. Soon, the gates of the village loom over our heads, the guards stationed there open them with a deep bow. We enter the village. I almost don't recognize it. It's a hubbub of excitement, the merpeople bustling through the streets. Some are carrying decorations and others brightly colored clothes. Bakers and chefs have carts of various foods, and the shops are decorated with shells and banners. Everyone is so happy for coronation, but it's impossible for me to be happy right now. Kai isn't here to celebrate with me. Every time I close my eyes he's there, his face, his touch, his kiss. I can't help but think of what he said about me being the perfect princess. I have to do this. For him. He would want me to.

We turn a corner and exit the village. The palace juts out of the rock ahead of us, its spires glistening in the sunlight. Every gemstone is in its place, but now the palace has been draped in billowing white banners. Each has been adorned with a golden sun, sewn on with golden thread that catches the light and makes it seem as if the sun is truly shining. We make our way through the gardens to the massive doors. The guards there open them with a bow, and we go through. The main hall of the palace has been transformed into a massive ballroom, with the same white tapestries hanging from the vaulted ceiling high above us. Maids bustle about with various food items and clothing, tables have been set up around the edges of the dance floor. A large stage has been erected on the opposite side of the room, with two thrones. One large, one smaller. I have a feeling I know which one is mine. A string quartet is to the right of the stage, tuning their instruments. A string quartet underwater? I suppose anything is possible in Neverland. The sounds of their instruments float through the air, sounding soft and beautiful.

The guards lead me up the familiar path of stairs, but instead of turning down the hallway we did before, we turn in a different direction. We follow the twists and turns of the hallway, taking rights and lefts until I'm definitely lost. They pause outside of a massive door, just like my mother's. But this time, instead of knocking, they open it and lead me inside.

"Your chambers, your highness." the older guard says.

"Mine?"

The younger one chuckles, the older one elbows him softly.

"Yes, your highness. Is there a problem?"

I laugh, slowly turning in a circle and taking it all in, "No. Not at all. Thank you."

The guards bow, "We'll be outside of your door if you need anything, your highness."

Before I can reply, they close the door and leave me alone.

My room, or rooms, is huge! The room I'm currently standing in is a parlor similar to my mother's. There are couches around a table, and glass french doors leading to a balcony. I cross to the doors and open them. The balcony is rather large, there is a table with chairs overlooking the gardens, perhaps for morning coffee? I go back into the parlor, and choose to go into the room on the right. It's a bathroom, with a floor length mirror and a massive countertop loaded with hair brushes, makeup, toothbrushes, towels, and some things I don't really recognize. There isn't a bathtub, shower, or sink, but I suppose that it's not really necessary. I exit the bathroom and pass through the parlor, and enter the room on the opposite side. This one is a bedroom, with a massive king sized, four poster bed. There is a smaller set of french doors to the right, I open them and step inside. It's a walk-in closet. This day literally could not get better. Since merpeople don't really wear pants, there are just racks upon racks of bikini tops. There are drawers of pearls and other decorations. But in the middle of the room is something that catches my attention, a tiara. It glimmers in the soft light. I walk forward slowly, almost afraid that my presence will be enough to make the delicate thing shatter. It's so beautiful. I don't want to touch it, it seems too small to be stable. I exit the closet and flop onto the bed, it absorbs me. The bed is so soft, and the sheets are so smooth. I could literally fall asleep just laying here. Sleep is sounding excellent right now.

A soft tap on the door rouses me before I can drift off.

"Come in?"

A younger mermaid enters, she looks no older than thirteen. She has thick, dark brown hair pulled into a tight bun, but a few sections of her hair have fallen out of the knot. She has pretty deep blue eyes that remind me of Kai's. In fact, she looks just like Marina.

"Hello, your highness. My name is Ava. I'm here to get you ready for your coronation."

"Oh. Okay."

She smiles softly, revealing the same dimples that Kai has, or had.

I shake my head, "If you don't mind me asking, do you have any siblings?"

Ava laughs, "Um, yeah. My brother Kai won't stop talking about you. He's so in love!" she singsongs.

My heart sinks, I fake a laugh, "I suppose that's why I was asking."

Her smile broadens, "It's okay! Follow me."

Ava turns her back to me, and I stifle my tears. Her brother is dead, and she doesn't know. Luke told me not to tell anyone, and I have to trust him. She swims out of the room and to the bathroom, where a blue bikini top with shells and deep blue pearls sewn in sits on the countertop. Many strands of blue and white pearls lay coiled on the counter, waiting to be draped over my tail. I sigh, here we go.

Ava gazes at the bikini top for a moment, "Isn't it pretty? These are the rarest pearls in all of the ocean. Very hard to find. The princess deserves only the best, huh?"

I try to laugh, but it comes out as more of a sigh, "I guess so."

She picks it up and hands it to me, "Here. Put it on."

I turn away from her and take off my simple black bikini top, exchanging it for the new one. I turn back around and she smiles, "It looks really good on you!"

I smile back, "Thanks."

Ava reaches forward and removes my bikini bottoms from my wrist, and she places the top and bottoms on the corner of the counter. She sighs and taps her fingers on the counter.

"Now, for your hair."

She pulls out a stool from beneath the counter, and I sit. She begins to softly run her fingers through my hair, which has now grown to the bottom of my lower back. My hair has grown several inches and I've only been here for a few weeks. There are quite a lot of weird things happening here, aren't there?

"I'm thinking this would look good, what about you?"

She flops my hair into my eyes, and I muster up a laugh, "I think so, too."

She pulls my hair back out of my eyes, "Are you okay?"

I look up into the mirror to find her eyes trained on mine, full of concern. I really want to tell her. But, I know that I shouldn't. I really, really, really shouldn't.

_**look who's back! Luke! and he's a pixie?! omg there are so many things going on it's getting hard to keep up. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing! much love to you all. please remember to review, favorite, and follow!**_


	26. Revival

**Revival**

Sweet Ava has such love in her eyes, she seems to know me and appreciate me already as a sister. If only she knew what I did to her brother… But Luke told me not to tell anyone, so I won't. Not until I can figure out what to do. Ava has curled half of my hair with a contraption I can only describe as a curling iron, and she has begun on the second half. She hums softly, a sweet sounding lullaby.

I cough, "Did, um, did Kai say anything about me?"

Ava's eyes meet mine in the mirror, a bright spark within, "Duh! He thinks you're so gorgeous, and sweet, and funny, and he told me you're a great kisser."

She flashes me a cheeky grin, and I blush. Maybe it's good to pretend he hasn't died. I laugh this time, for real.

"Anything else I should know?"

"Well, he-" she cuts herself off, "I'm not supposed to tell you!"

"Tell me what?"

"Nothing! Nothing." she smiles softly and goes back to curling my hair.

Hmm. What was she going to say about Kai? At this point, there's nothing it couldn't be. She finishes my hair.

"Pretty, right?"

"Most definitely. Thanks, Ava."

She beams at me, "You're welcome!"

The young mermaid stares at the floor for a few seconds, before mustering up the courage to look back into my eyes, "You don't have to be down at the ball for another ten minutes, maybe we could talk for a while before I have to put your beads on?"

I admire her boldness, and smile at her, "Why not?"

Ava giggles and darts back out of the bathroom. I pause before following, taking in my appearance gazing back at me from the shiny bathroom mirror. I look very different, elaborate hair, pretty makeup, glimmering pearled bikini top, and a tail. This whole thing feels like a dream. I'm just having a hard time figuring out if it's a bad dream or a good one. I sigh and exit the bathroom, greeted by the sight of Ava sitting on one of the couches, her tail tucked neatly beneath her. I sit down next to her.

"So… what is it you wanted to talk about?" I ask.

"I was thinking maybe…" she trails off, seeming to again gather her courage, "you and Kai?"

Her answer is so unexpected I let out a stunned laugh, "You mean like," I poke her stomach, "girl talk?"

Ava laughs, "Yeah, I guess so."

She leans forward, cloak and dagger, "What is he like?"

I tilt my head, "What do you mean?"

"What is Kai like? Is he sweet, funny, romantic?" she sighs happily, dreamily gazing off into the distance.

I feel a pang in my heart, but I push it aside. I'm going to remember the good things, not the bad. Not his death.

"Um, well…" I'm realizing this is the first time I've been able to gossip with another member of the female community for quite a few weeks now.

I glance over at her, she looks like a puppy begging for a treat. I've decided I like Ava.

I sigh, "Where do I start? He's got these beautiful blue eyes, just like yours, they're deep and soft and warm."

"You really think my eyes look like his?" she interjects.

I nod my head, "Of course! They're such a pretty blue."

She smiles at me and nods to let me continue.

"And, his smile! It makes me melt a little inside I think. He has these cute dimples that only show up when he's super happy."

She claps her hands, giddy with excitement, "That is so sweet! Is he a good kisser?"

I awkwardly shift my weight on the couch before answering sheepishly, "Yeah. I would say so."

She grins, "I've always wondered what it's like to kiss someone."

"Your first kiss is something you won't ever forget! Promise."

"Oh, I know! I've already imagined it. He'll be tall and handsome, with blonde hair and green eyes. And he'll sweep me off my feet when the moment is right, and then we'll be mated!"

"Wait, wait. The first person you kiss is your mate?"

"Uh huh! As soon as you kiss someone you're technically mated to them, the queen just has to perform the ceremony to make it official."

I feel this odd sensation in my stomach, not quite happy, but not quite sad, "So you don't kiss anyone until you know it's them?"

"Exactly. It's such a magical moment! You know right then. This is the person I want to spend my whole life with!"

I blink, "So Kai and I were," my last word comes out as a whisper, "mates?"

She nods, "Duh! I thought you knew."

I shake my head, "No. No, I didn't know that."

"Oh. Well, if you had known would you have still kissed him?"

"Yes." the answer comes out of my mouth before I even have time to think.

There is a pause in the conversation, me mulling over my answer, and Ava thinking of her next question.

"What's it like? To have legs?"

"Well, I don't really know how to describe it other than walking. I've always had legs, it's the tail that's new to me."

"I'm so jealous! Sometimes I wish I could walk around up at the surface, and meet a full blooded human! I watch the village sometimes, when the pirates aren't docked. They're so interesting. And their gadgets are so modern!"

I laugh, "You should see the Mainland, their gadgets will knock your scales off."

Ava smiles, then blinks, "We should probably get your pearls on."

I sigh, "Yes, I suppose we should."

We walk out of the parlor and into the bathroom.

"Sit in the chair and stick your tail out, if you please."

I comply, and she gazes at my tail for a moment, "Your tail is so pretty! It even glows a little."

I giggle, "So I've been told."

"Okay. So, the more strands of pearls a mermaid has on her tail, the higher status she is. The Queen wears a total of twenty different strands, and you get to wear nineteen, because you're one rank below her."

"Oh." I notice her tail doesn't have any.

"And, they have to be draped a certain way. You wrap once around your hips, and then wind them around your tail until you can wrap them around your fin."

Ava smiles, playfully pulling on my fin. She then begins to wrap, her quick fingers weaving the pearls in and around each other. My tail becomes heavier and heavier, until it's quite hard to keep off of the ground.

"All done! What do you think?"

"It's beautiful, but aren't they a bit heavy?"

"Beauty and status comes at a price darling, your jewelry will be a bit heavy." she says, a snobby tone in her voice.

I laugh and smack her arm lightly, "Oh, hush."

I slowly rise from the stool, finding my mobility and speed are both greatly hindered by the pearl strands.

As if reading my mind, Ava says, "They're kind of supposed to slow you down, it makes you think about moving regally."

"I guess that makes sense."

I turn around and look in the mirror, and the person I see is almost entirely different from the Relia I knew a few weeks ago. I feel kind of pretty.

"You look beautiful!" Ava squeals.

Just then, a soft tap on the door draws our attention.

"Come in!" Ava calls as we travel towards the door.

My pair of guards enter the room, and are briefly speechless by my new appearance.

"You look," the younger guard clears his throat, "lovely, Princess."

"Thank you."

"We're here to escort you to the ballroom." the older adds.

Ava wraps me in a hug, "Good luck! I'll be watching from the kitchen. You'll be fine. Just remember, head up, smile, and swim _slowly_."

"Got it. Thanks for everything, Ava."

She smiles as the guards lead me out of the room, closing the door behind us.

Soon, a crown will be on my head, and I'll be a princess. Why am I not happy? I'm lead to small holding room behind the ballroom's stage. It is hung with rich velvet tapestries and matching couches, with a mahogany table. Through the thick curtains I can faintly hear the string quartet playing a soft song, and the dulled mumble of voices. We sit in silence until a thudding noise sounds through the ballroom, silencing the guests. The deep voice of who I can only assume to be the royal herald fills the room with gusto, leaving no corner untouched by his booming voice.

"May I present Her Majesty, Selene Cyrena Rydia Damaris, Queen of Pelagia."

The room is filled with excited applause before a hush spreads over the merpeople. I can hear my mother's steady voice, "Welcome all, we extend our warmest welcomes to our honored guests."

The room is again filled with polite applause.

"On this day, you will witness an incredibly noteworthy event, the coronation of my daughter and heiress to the Pelagian throne."

The merpeople clap enthusiastically, I can feel the tension slowly rising.

"Join me in welcoming my beautiful daughter, Aurelie Isana Callista Damaris."

What? Aurelie? I am gently pushed through the curtain to the sounds of applause. Everything Ava told me swims through my mind as I make my way to my mother at the center of the stage.

Head up, smile, swim slowly.

Head up, smile, swim slowly.

Mom wraps an arm around my waist and gives me a quick squeeze. The herald booms his staff on the shimmering ballroom floor once again, and the ballroom falls silent. The audience turns their attention to the herald, but I can still feel the curious glances being thrown my way. Why the heck is my name suddenly Aurelie Isana Something Something?

"Please welcome the highest member of the Royal Pelagian Court, Sir Karsten Orion Alexander."

I make a mental note that my mother and I both have one more name than him. Maybe it's the same way the pearls work, the more you have the higher status you are. The crowd applauds as a man that looks to be in his thirties swims onto the stage, even though he's probably a lot older. Kai was ninety seven. No. Stop thinking about Kai. Sir Karsten Orion Alexander has light blonde hair and deep violet eyes, giving him an ethereal quality. He is cloaked in white robes embroidered with the golden sun. He carries a velvet pillow, and on it sits a glittering tiara so beautiful it takes my breath away. My mother backs away from me, leaving me alone in the center of the stage. He moves to stand next to me, and addresses the audience.

"Citizens of Pelagia…"

I can feel a stare burning into me, one that won't go away. I force myself to stick a serene smile on my face, and I gaze around the room to try and find the source of my discomfort. My eyes lock with those familiar blue orbs, his face lights up in a soft smile to reveal the dimples I thought I would never see again. My heart leaps to my throat and I quickly turn away, trying to refocus on Karsten's speech. My heart is beating so fast. I think I might throw up. Do I look again?

But then Karsten is gesturing for me to dip my head, and I do so. He places the light tiara on my head. It is made of silver and gold strands so thinly woven I almost can't feel it. He holds out an arm for me to bow, and I comply, as slowly as Ava instructed.

The herald pounds his staff, "May I present Aurelie Isana Callista Damaris, Princess of Pelagia."

The ballroom erupts into applause and I give a shaky smile. Unsure of what to do with myself, I stand there until the quartet strikes up a soft waltz. Everyone finally takes their eyes off of me in search of a dance partner. I scan the crowd fervently, but I am unable to find him. Maybe I was just imagining things. A hand lacing its fingers through mine makes me jump.

"Are you okay?" Mom asks.

"I-I… Yes. Yes, I'm fine. So… Aurelie?"

She smiles softly, "Your real name. It means golden one."

"And you never called me that before because?"

"I wanted to wait until you were crowned. It seemed right."

In her defense, that makes sense. But all of a sudden Relia is no longer my name? As if reading my mind, my mother places her hand on my arm.

"You'll always be Relia. Aurelie is just your formal name. Don't worry about it, it's simply a formality."

Golden one does seem fitting though, considering that golden touch that worked on Peter and didn't work on Kai. Is that a sign of something?

"Why don't you go dance?"

I summon a small smile, "Mom, you of all people know that I was born with two left feet, or, fins, I guess."

She laughs and pats my shoulder, "It's alright, I'm sure there are plenty of mermen more than willing to teach you."

I resist the urge to elbow her, I don't think that would go over well, but she chuckles and walks into the crowd to find a dance partner.

My head is swimming. I slowly back out of the ballroom and back into the now empty holding room, flopping onto a couch and putting my head in my hands. I squeeze my eyes shut tight and curl into a ball, willing my sad thoughts to go away. But is he really here? A cold palm on my shoulder draws my attention, I glance up to find him. He hasn't changed, the eyes, the hair, and the smile are all the same. The massive, bloody gash in his stomach is gone, replaced by toned, tan skin.

"Kai?"

He cups my face with that unusually chilled hand, lightly running his thumb along my cheekbone.

It's him.

He's here.

He's not dead.

"Come with me." he whispers softly.

_**oooh Aurelie Isana Callista Damaris! how fancy. you can look those names up if you're curious. I hope you enjoyed reading! see you next chapter, please remember to review, favorite, and follow! :)**_


	27. Flower Garden

**Flower Garden**

Kai leads me down a more secluded hallway, one with portraits of older looking mermen and women. He's not looking at me, which stings a little. I wonder what's going on? Is he okay? He stops suddenly and turns around, it's taking all I have not to kiss him right now. How is he alive when I watched him die?

"This is going to be really hard for you." he begins quietly.

"What is?" I ask.

"I'm… not Kai."

I let out an incredulous laugh, "What do you mean? Of course you are."

I reach out to touch him, but he jerks away. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, and the water around him ripples. Suddenly, Kai is gone, and Luke is standing in his place. Before I can even think about what I'm doing, I slap him.

Luke turns back to me with hard eyes, "Why would you do that?"

My eyes feel hot with tears, "I can ask you the same question."

He sighs, the first sign of humanity he's shown since I've seen him, "The merpeople don't know Kai is dead yet. Also, would you have come with me otherwise?"

"Of course I would have!"

"I doubt that."

"Luke -"

"Don't call me that."

There is an awkward pause between us, my head is starting to hurt.

"Well, what do I call you, then?"

"My name is Terence."

Why does that name sound so familiar? I rack my brain until I remember Peter. Peter was talking about Terence.

"_You're_ Terence?"

The sarcasm drips from his voice, "You seem so surprised."

I roll my eyes and turn to swim away.

He grabs my arm, "You can't leave."

"What are you talking about? This is my palace, I have the right to do as I please."

That sounded a lot meaner than I intended. I suppose I should feel sorry, but I don't. Whoever this Luke Terence person is, he's not the guy I thought I knew.

He cracks the smallest of smiles, "There's my Relia."

"Don't you dare call me your Relia. You've lost that right. Leave. Now."

I pull away from him again, but he grabs my wrist. I almost consider calling for the guards.

"Stop. You need to come back to Pixie Hollow with me."

I almost scream at him. Since when does he order me around? What the hell is Pixie Hollow?

"Why?"

"You have to prepare for transformation."

"Transformation?"

"Father will explain. But you need to come with me, now."

"No."

He says nothing, but the water ripples around us as it did before, causing my vision to blur.

"Luke?"

The sound of rushing water is so loud in my ears that I don't think he heard me. I feel an odd pulling sensation in my stomach, and the world goes black around me. I can't see anything. The only thing I can feel now is Luke's hard grip on my wrist. I squeeze my eyes shut as the pulling feeling intensifies, it's all I can do to not scream. But suddenly the world is quiet, and I open my eyes.

We are standing in the middle of a huge garden, flowers of every shape and size are surrounding us for at least a few hundred yards. There are trees and benches everywhere. A beautiful palace looms in front of us, built into a massive tree. The tree is huge, towering incredibly high above our heads. I'm dry, and I have legs. I'm dressed in a soft pink gown with golden embroidery along the neckline, with matching flats. My hair is loose and in curls around my face, but some has been twisted around the crown of my head and entwined with small pink and white flowers. The smell of the flora around me is like a slap in the face, but it's nice. Luke is standing next to me in a white suit looking thing, with pants and a formal jacket with epaulets. He looks like a prince.

"This way." he says, walking along the packed dirt of the garden trail.

There are so many questions bubbling in my head, but I don't think I'll get a good answer from him. I stay quiet, allowing him to lead me along the winding path. We walk to the front gates of the palace, which are opened with a bow from the guards. They are dressed like medieval knights, without helmets. We walk into the foyer, which is huge. The whole palace seems to shimmer with gold magic, the wood and quartz that make up the building sparkle. We turn down a hallway and stop in front of beautifully carved wooden doors, which open without the assistance of anyone. It's a throne room, with a long green carpet leading from the door to the three thrones on the pedestal. One is empty, I can assume it's Terence's. But the others are occupied by a man and a woman. The woman is dressed in a lavender gown, her dark red hair pulled up into an elegant knot interwoven with a shimmering crown. Her features are kind, but her bright green eyes are hard. The man is dressed like Terence, but those hazel eyes I've missed for so many years sparkle with recognition. His brown hair has since turned a little gray, but it's still the same. He's still the same. His large silver crown sits heavily on his head.

"Dad?"

The queen narrows her eyes at me, and Terence softly clears his throat. I glance at him.

"That's not how you address the king and queen." he says quietly.

Terence sinks into a deep bow, "Your majesties."

I follow suit as best I can, dipping my head to the floor.

Dad's voice booms through the room, "Oh, nonsense. No children of mine shall bow to me."

I raise my head to find that he is standing, Terence rises uncertainly next to me. Dad's wings are on full display, they're huge and glimmering.

"But Father -" he starts, Dad cuts him off with his hand raised.

"No. We are all equals."

Terence stays silent. Dad turns his warm gaze to me, and opens his arms. Without hesitation, I rush forward into him. He wraps me up in his hug. He smells just like I remember, like the forest. So much has happened that I'm not as surprised as I thought I would be that he's not dead. But why would Mom lie to me about him being alive?

He kisses the top of my head, "You've grown so much."

I nod into his chest, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too."

We stand in silence until the queen clears her throat, and Dad pulls away from me.

"Relia, this is my wife, Rhiannon."

The queen smiles tightly at me, and I return hers with a warm one. Who says I can't kill her with kindness?

"And my son, Terence. Who I know you've already met."

His _son_? Does that make us half siblings? I think it does. Terence nods at me, but I look away. Awkward.

"Let's go somewhere to talk. I'm sure you have a lot of questions."

I nod, and he walks us out of the throne room without a backwards glance at his other family. He walks us down the halls of the palace in silence, but it isn't a bad one. It feels as if we're still figuring out what to do with ourselves. There is a small secluded balcony directly off the hallway. It overlooks the vast garden below us, I can smell the flowers from here.

The silence is broken by my father, "How have you been?"

I almost laugh at the normalcy of the question, but I know he's sincere.

"Alright, I suppose."

"How is your mother?"

"She's fine."

The silence overtakes us again until I can work up the courage to address the elephant in the room.

"Why did you leave?"

He sighs, "I didn't leave. I was found."

"What do you mean?"

"Ultimately, Luca's deal only covered you. I sacrificed myself so he could keep you and your mother safe. When we made the decision to leave Neverland, it upset a good amount of people. They chose to look for us. The day the power plant exploded was the day my father found me. Our kind is unknown to Earth, the reactors weren't built to handle magic. They exploded, and people died."

"And then what happened?"

"I was brought home and married to a predetermined bride."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you marry someone you didn't love?"

"I didn't have a choice."

"There's always a choice, Dad."

He smiles at me tiredly, "You'll find that sometimes there is not. You're not going to get to choose what you become."

"Of course I will."

"That's not what I mean. You have two days left until who knows what happens to you."

"You're talking about the transformation Terence mentioned?"

He sighs again, "Yes."

His tone is foreboding.

"What's going to happen to me?"

"I don't know. You've never really been a - a _thing_ before."

"A thing?" I echo. Is that what I am?

"No, not a thing. You're just the first of your kind. All we know is that on your eighteenth year, your body will have to choose between which form it likes best. And if it isn't able to choose…"

"What?"

"Never mind. We'll worry about that when it comes."

"No," my voice holds a firmness that I wasn't expecting, "Tell me."

"There's a possibility you could die if your body can't choose. But that's not going to happen."

My chest constricts a little bit, "How do you know that's not going to happen?"

"Because we're going to protect you."

I sigh, "What do I do until then?"

"You're going to stay here."

"So, I'm quarantined?"

"Don't think of it like that. We're not keeping everyone safe from you, we're keeping you safe from everyone else."

"What do I need to be kept safe from?"

"People like Aleksander."

He has been kind of quiet lately.

"What does he want?"

"He wants your power."

"I have power?"

"Your transformation is going to release a huge burst of raw power that could be dangerous. Aleksander wants to harness it."

"And do what with it?"

"I don't know."

I heave a sigh. This is too much. I'm going to _transform_ into something? I have to choose between a life with my father or a life with my mother? That seems unfair. I don't want to choose.

"Does Mom know where I am?"

"I just sent word. She'll be a little bit upset, but we needed to get you out of there before that poor merman's body is found."

I swallow hard, "Kai?"

"Yes, him. That crazy sister of his would have waged war, most definitely."

"Crazy sister? Marina?"

"Yes, the old queen."

"She's not crazy. She was kind to me."

"That's because you're powerful, and she is power hungry. Have you ever wondered why Kai and her little sister were so poor while she was queen? She doesn't care about anyone but herself. She wants to be queen again."

That doesn't make sense. Marina was so kind! And Kai seemed as if he liked his sister. But Kai's small grotto, Ava being a servant… I don't want to concern myself with that.

"Who would she wage war against, Hook?"

"Exactly."

"But, why? Why do they hate each other so much?"

"Captain James Hook killed your grandparents, the king and queen of Pelagia."

The wind is knocked out of my lungs for a brief moment. He notices my sudden lack of speech, and pats my arm reassuringly.

"This is a lot to take in. Why don't you get some rest, and we can talk tomorrow? People are going to come visit you tomorrow, including your mother."

"How is that going to work?"

"I have my ways."

He smiles at me and stands, helping me to my feet. He presses a kiss to my forehead, and leads me back inside where a woman is waiting.

"Rose?"

The waitress from O'Brien's is standing before me in plain garments and a soft smile. She too has wings. But I thought this was Terence's mom, not Rhiannon.

"How are you?" she asks.

"I-I'm fine, thank you."

Why not just address the elephant in the room?

"You're not Terence's mother, are you?"

She chuckles, "Oh, Relia. I was watching you as a favor to your father, he couldn't come back personally, so the job fell to me and Terence."

"Oh."

So she was just pretending to be his mother.

"Let's get you ready for bed."

"Alright."

"Goodnight, Relia. Sleep well."

"Thanks, Dad."

He smiles, and turns to walk down the hall. Rose leads me in the other direction, to a large door. She opens it and we go inside, it's a nice bedroom with a balcony overlooking the same garden. The bed is large and comfortable looking, and a door leads to a bathroom to the left. A walk-in closet is along a wall, I can catch glimpses of the beautiful dresses like the one I'm wearing, some fancier, and some more casual. Rose leads me to the bathroom, where a soft looking nightgown is waiting. She starts the porcelain tub, and pours in a yummy smelling soap that bubbles immediately.

"Hop in, when you're ready I'll have a towel for you."

She undoes my dress and leaves me to do the rest, sensing that I probably wouldn't want to stand stark naked in front of someone that I don't know that well. I remove the dress and set it on the countertop. I slide into the warm water and am instantly enveloped in the soft bubbles. I almost fall asleep right on the spot, but I'd rather save myself for that plush bed. So, with much regret, I climb out of the tub. Although I didn't see anyone enter the bathroom, a soft towel is waiting for me. I dry off and slide on the nightgown, it's so light I almost can't feel it.

I walk into the bedroom, the carpet is soft beneath my toes. Rose is waiting.

"How was your bath?"

"Fine, thank you."

"I'll leave you, then. I'll wake you up in the morning! Busy day."

"Thanks, Rose."

"Of course."

She leaves the room as I climb into bed. Before I can stress out over anything I learned today, I'm asleep.

**_ooh transformation! sounds sketchy. what is Aleksander going to do? and is Marina really crazy? I guess we'll find out.. ;P thank you reading! I hope you liked it! if you did, please review, favorite, and follow! XOXO_**


	28. Bitten

**Bitten**

The sunlight rouses me, Rose is pulling back the curtains of the suite.

"Good morning. How did you sleep?"

I stretch, "Fine, thank you."

It's the truth. This bed is incredibly comfortable. She has laid out a nice powder blue dress the flows to the floor, with some matching woven flats. Rose indicates for me to follow her to the bathroom, carrying the dress with her. She hands it to me.

"Change, please."

She exits the room, leaving me alone. I slide the silky nightgown over my head. The dress feels like satin but looks like cotton, it fits me just right. Rose enters the room again with the flats. I put them on and she sits me down in a chair in front of the mirror. She begins to brush my hair, which has grown down to my waist in soft curls. She sets on my head a small silvery tiara that shimmers with magic. I gaze into the mirror. I look like a princess.

"Today, you get to do whatever you want. But, some people are coming to see you. I think your mother is here already."

"Thanks, Rose."

She smiles at me, leading me out of the suite and down a hall, into a large sitting room. There are several couches around a table laden with fruits, cheeses, and pastries. Dad is there, but Rhiannon and Terence are no where to be seen. Mom is occupying the other couch, and she has legs. She rises when she sees me, a warm smile on her face.

"How are you?"

"I'm doing all right."

I flop down next to her, resisting the urge to tuck my legs into my chest. Don't princesses have to sit up straight? Dad hands me a plate for me to load up on my own, but I find that I'm not really hungry. I grab a croissant and some strawberries, but I don't really touch them.

"So?" Mom prods.

"So, what?" I ask.

"What do you want to know?"

"Maybe why you lied about Dad being alive?"

"I'm sorry, Relia. I just didn't want to add another thing to your plate. It was easier to just pretend that he was dead."

"Oh, thanks." Dad says sarcastically, his eyes twinkling.

Seeing them together is enough for me to forgive her. Our family is back together.

"And what about Kai?"

Mom's face darkens, "He was discovered last night. Marina and Ava were devastated. Marina of course wants Hook's head, but I told her to wait until after you... transitioned. We didn't need another thing on our plate."

"Did Ava say anything about..."

"You and Kai?"

She smiles knowingly at me. Dad tilts his head, "What about you and Kai? Who is this Kai person?"

I manage a small laugh, "Relax, Dad. He's kinda dead. Nothing to worry about."

"I'm so sorry, honey. He was an amazing man, he'll be missed."

"I know."

Mom pulls me in for a hug. When she lets go, I wipe away the few tears that have fallen. I had a chance at love, and look how that turned out.

"I guess I'd like to know what's going to happen to me?"

"That's not really something we know a lot about." Dad replies, rubbing his temples.

"Tell me what you do know, then."

"Well, we know that you are going to choose what form you like best, pixie or mermaid. We haven't quite figured out what affects that decision, but you'll pick. There is a very slight chance that your body will not be able to choose. We don't really know what happens if that is the route you decide to take, but again, we haven't determined how you can control it." Dad musters up a very unconvincing smile.

"So basically, whatever happens happens? It's out of my hands?"

Mom pats my shoulder, "That's pretty much it. I'm sorry we don't know more."

"That's, uh, that's okay."

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this. It's just going to happen? Out of the blue? There has to be a way to control it, or at least affect it a little bit. There is silence in the room for a moment.

"How do you have legs?"

"A little bit of magic goes a long way." Dad grins at me.

"How does pixie dust work?"

"That reminds me! We have to go through a quick crash course in dust at some point. There are hundreds of talents for a pixie to have, and once you are placed, you live out the rest of your days serving your talent and helping Pixie Hollow. Luckily for us, we're royals. We get to possess all talents instead of having to choose just one. Pixie dust bends to your will. You think of what you want the dust to do, and it does it. But, it does have its limits, and only works if your intentions are good and noble."

"Sounds easy enough. What about wings?"

"Since you weren't born a pixie, your wings won't come until your body comes in contact with pixie dust. Which is going to happen today."

"So, I had a tail because of the water from Mermaid Lagoon?"

"Exactly." Mom smiles at me.

"Is it going to hurt?" I ask, thinking of the excruciating pain from the first transformation to my tail.

"I'm not sure. It might. But I don't think it will hurt as badly as your tail did," Dad says, as if reading my mind, "because your transformation was prolonged. We're about to find out."

He stands, offering me and my mom his hands. He pulls us up and into his arms.

"I missed you, my girls."

"We missed you, too." Mom replies.

We pull away, I can't help but notice that they glance at each other a little too long. Do they still love each other? I don't see why they wouldn't.

"Could you excuse me for just a second? I'm going to go take a walk. I just need to get some air."

I'll leave them alone for a little while. Maybe they need to do some talking, too. They smile at me, Dad hasn't unwound his arm from around her waist. I smile to myself as I walk out the door of the parlor. The hallway is deserted, but I find my way to the garden as best I can. I sit down on a stone bench and gaze into the colorful flowers. The day is beautiful and sunny. What do I do? In two days my body is going to choose which way of life it likes best. That's fine. But what if it can't choose? Will I really die? Dad said that there is only a slight chance, but that's still a chance. Chills run over me. I'm not ready to _die_. I think of Kai. If we're being technical, we were married for at least a few days. But I loved it. Maybe if I did die, I'd get to see him again? How does that work? I've never really thought about what happens after death before. But if I got to be with Kai… Maybe it would be okay.

Peter jumps into my head. What about Peter? I love him too. I've figured out over these past few weeks that it is most definitely possible to love two people. But I don't know if I can get past the fact that he killed someone. The same someone that has been posing as my pet for my whole life? When is he going to cash in on that favor? And what will it be?

A loud, long sound pierces the air, shaking me from my thoughts. What was that? I look around, but the garden is empty. It starts again, louder than before, accompanied by several more. It's a howl. Butterflies rush through my stomach. Is it Aleksander? It has to be. I stand, slowly backing towards the palace. I smack right into someone, startling me forward.

"Hello again, princess."

Aleksander's sharp teeth are bared in a scary smile, his eyes golden and cat-like. He is dressed in his trademark black clothing. He takes a step forward.

"Enjoying the nice day?"

I'm trying as hard as I can not to tremble. What did Dad say about Aleksander wanting to harness my power? Where's Luca when I need him?

"What do you want?"

He rolls his eyes, "Part of being a princess, darling, is learning how to act like one. You must allow your suitors to kiss your hand."

Aleksander holds out his hand, grabbing mine and bringing it to his lips. In the swiftest motion, he turns my arm and sinks his teeth into my wrist. He pulls away and smiles at me, my blood staining his teeth.

"Our next lesson is respect. You must bow to your master."

He grabs my shoulder and throws me to the gravel. My wrist is numb. I can't feel it. A perfect half moon shape has been ingrained into my skin, I can see where each of his teeth have punctured my flesh. A growl rumbles in his throat. I move to stand, but I can't. I can't feel my whole right arm now. Panic rises in my chest. What is he going to do to me? He pounces. But just as he is about to land, he stops. He's frozen in the air, inches from my face, his features twisted into a terrifying snarl.

"Relia! Run! Stand up and run! It won't hold him for long. Go!"

I blink, slowly regaining control over my body. I scramble out from underneath him, standing up and running in the direction of the man's voice. It's Terence. His face is concentrated, he is holding Aleksander in some sort of spell. I run to him. He barely even glances at me.

"Go inside. Now. Close the door behind you."

"What about you?"

"I have wings. You don't. Go."

I run to the nearest door, flinging it open and darting inside. I hear a lock click behind me, but I don't know who locked it. I can't seem to catch my breath. If anything, my breathing becomes heavier. A pounding headache comes on, I sink to the floor and put my head between my knees. I'm starting to lose feeling in my legs as well. It's the bite. A werewolf bite is poisonous. Oh my God. I raise my head from my knees, but I feel like I'm moving through molasses. I have to get help. Peter was saved by the cure. But didn't we use it all? I try to call for help, but no sound is made. I feel like I'm under water. I crawl towards the end of the hallway, but suddenly it's miles away. I feel like I'm falling through a tunnel. The floor tilts beneath me. I fall to the ground painfully. That tunnel of light above me grows smaller and smaller, before it fades to black. The last thing I can hear are someone's footsteps running towards me. A roaring sound whistles through my ears. I think I'm crying. Or screaming. Or both. I can't move. I can't breathe. I can't see. I'm hot, then I'm cold. Finally, almost in relief, it goes away, and I slip into unconsciousness.

_**uh oh! Aleksander's back, and he's playing for keeps :( let's see what happens! I hope you enjoyed, please remember to review, favorite, and follow! see you next chapter 3**_


	29. The End

**The End**

_**hello there! wow wow wow. I have painstakingly rewrote the First, and have spent the past few days posting all of the new chapters. I would HIGHLY recommend rereading the First before diving into this final chapter, there are a ton of new surprises in the First that you should know about so the ending makes sense to you. even if you don't see anything in the first few chapters, it gets changed a lot. so please please please read it!**_

_**I also wanted to thank everyone for their incredible support throughout this journey. I first posted this story about a year and a month ago, and since then I have grown incredibly as a writer and I've had such an amazing time doing this for all of you! I am so thankful for the opportunity I've gotten writing this. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. this was my first ever story, so I know it wasn't perfect, but I'm so happy with where it is and I'm glad that you guys liked it! it makes me so happy to be able to mark this book as "completed".**_

_**please check out the two other stories I have posted (Rose as Red as Blood and History Lesson), they're both pretty good in my opinion, and you don't need background in either fandom to enjoy it, although it is recommended :) I've also started two more stories that I will end up posting at some point as they are solidified. so please give me (the author) a follow so you can keep track of the new stories as well!**_

_**the First has been an absolute adventure for me, and I want to tell you right now that yes, there will be a sequel. it may be quite a while before this sequel is actually posted, because I'll be working on the four other stories I'm writing, but it is definitely in the works and I'll try to post it as soon as I can! it will be titled "the Choice".**_

_**finally, please please please log on to " " and take a look at this story under the "Fandom 2" writing challenge! it takes a lot of views and support, but I know that all of you are amazing and it would mean so much to me if you could view this story via so I could have a chance at winning the contest! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE you get a virtual hug and cupcake for being awesome 3**_

_**so, it is with the greatest pride and deepest pleasure, that I present to you: the final chapter of "the First"!**_

The young princess lies on one of the two large stone cots in the middle of the room. Eyes closed, she seems to be asleep. There are no windows in the room, only tall stone walls that climb towards the vaulted ceiling high above. Lanterns and tapestries bring some light and color into the room, but otherwise, the room carries with it a sense of ancient magic. Her dress is tattered and torn from the gravel of the garden, and her right wrist is wrapped in soft cloth to stop the blood from seeping through. Her long hair has been brushed by tender hands.

The door to the room opens slowly, revealing the man standing in the door frame. His chestnut hair is as wild and unruly as Neverland's jungle, his eyes as bright green as sparkling emeralds. He approaches carefully, his footsteps making no sound on the polished stone floors. He seats himself on the end of the stone bed. The man gazes at the sleeping princess for a moment with sad eyes, before tentatively reaching out to place his hand on hers. She doesn't move. The slow rise and fall of her chest can't be seen from more than a few inches away. A single tear slides down his cheek before he wipes it away.

"I love you. Don't leave me." he murmurs quietly to the sleeping girl.

She moves ever so slightly beneath him, but he doesn't notice. The door opens again, revealing the pixie prince.

"Terence."

Terence barely acknowledges him, he seems to be in his own world.

"What. What is it?"

Terence strides towards him and hands him a large, musty book. It has been turned to a spell.

"Peter. This is the only way to save her. Will you do it?"

Without a moment's hesitation, "Yes."

Terence nods his head, before turning on his heel and exiting the room with the book. That was awfully rushed. It seems that Terence would have done it with or without Peter's permission. Peter settles himself on the other stone table, and closes his tired eyes. If this is the only way to save her, then so be it. He falls asleep quickly, not noticing the presence of another man in the room. His hook catches the light of the lanterns, making it glow. The pirate drags the hook along the cot, rousing Peter from his troubled sleep. He blinks, focusing on the dark haired man, before leaping to his feet and standing between the princess and the pirate.

"Hook," Peter growls, "what do you want?"

Hook manages a small smirk, "I come here as a friend, Pan. I simply wish to pay my respects to the dead."

Rather than standing aside, Peter takes a step forward.

"She is _not_ dead. Not if I have anything to say about it."

Now, Hook's smirk grows into a grin.

"Ah, Peter. Allow me to spell this out for you. You decided to get bitten by a werewolf no more than a month ago. You also decided to use the last of the cure in all of Neverland. Meaning, there is none left for our dear princess."

Hook doesn't seem to know about the spell. Peter has the upper hand.

"What are you even doing here?" Peter asks.

"I simply wanted to look at her before she dies."

"Why do you keep saying she's going to die?"

"Because it's inevitable! Aleksander is going to be back for her transition, and I don't plan on being around when it happens."

"Good. You wouldn't be allowed within a mile of her anyways."

Hook chuckles, "Not to worry. I'll be taking refuge at the Mainland. Following in your footsteps, I suppose."

"You know that's not why I left."

"As you say. You don't even know what she's going to do if she wakes up."

"You may be right, but that doesn't mean I'm going to leave her."

"What to do, what to do." the pirate murmurs quietly, allowing his eyes to fall onto the sleeping girl on the stone cot.

"I'll tell you what to do. You get the hell out of here, and you don't come back."

Hook takes a step forward, a menacing roughness to his voice, "And are you going to make me?"

Peter's hand travels to his dagger, but he decides against it. She wouldn't want to see him do this.

"No," Peter lets out a defeated sigh, "I'm not. I'm hoping that you have enough decency left to leave her alone."

"I'm a pirate," Hook chuckles, "decency is not in my vocabulary."

Nevertheless, with one last withering glare at Peter, and one last longing gaze at the girl, he turns and strides out of the room. Peter deflates, sitting down on the cot and putting his head in his hands.

* * *

Kellen and Selene have grown increasingly desperate. The council has yet to come up with any good ideas, and time is ticking. The room lapses into silence, everyone has run out of thoughts.

King Kellen sighs, "We just need to keep her alive long enough for her to transition. That's all. That raw power will certainly cure her of the poison."

"But can you be certain of that?" Selene turns her strong gaze to his.

"I-", Kellen pauses, "no. I can't. But it's the best idea we have."

The council murmurs assent. Selene takes a shaky breath, "So how do we prolong her life for just one day?"

"We work together," an older mermaid says, "our magic is strong enough to at least allow her to live for a day. Together, we can help her maintain her strength."

The council again quietly murmurs their agreement. King Kellen rubs the back of his neck before standing to address the council.

"Bedrooms will be provided for you, and your every need will be attended to. We will meet again in one hour to discuss the necessary provisions needed to keep my daughter alive. Thank you."

Everyone in the room pushes back their chairs and stands, palace staff leading them in the direction of their bedrooms. Kellen leans back in his chair and closes his eyes.

"Will this work?"

"Of course it will," Selene murmurs, but her tone betrays her, "we just need to keep Aleksander away from here, and we need to keep her alive."

"But how? We have nothing that will cure the bite. We are powerful together, but none of our spells will be able to prevent the poison from killing her."

A tap on the door draws their attention, it's Terence. He's carrying a large book in his arms.

"May I come in?"

"Of course." Kellen says.

Terence drops the book on the table with a loud bang, and pulls it open to a marked page.

"I've found something that could help us."

He slides the book towards the king and queen.

Selene gasps, "Of course."

"Vita Auxilium." Kellen whispers.

"It could work," Terence says, "and Peter Pan has already volunteered his life. We wouldn't need to kill him. Just keep her alive long enough until transition."

"We don't have anything left to lose. Call the council members. We need to start now."

The pixie in the corner nods and leaves. Not even a few minutes later the room is full once again. The book is being passed around the table. The members talk among each other as Peter enters and stands in the corner of the room.

Kellen calls the meeting to order with a simple question, "Any objections?"

The council members glance around at each other, but stay silent.

"So it is decided," Selene murmurs, "we need to begin now."

Kellen turns to Peter, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

He steps forward, "Yes, I'm sure."

Selene sends the merpeople to cleanse Peter's soul, a necessary part of the spell, and the pixies go to the princess' room to do the same to her. Kellen and Selene follow the pixies to the room, and watch them while they work. It feels as if they're watching them prepare a body, but Selene banishes the thought from her head. She's going to live. She's going to live.

"We need to bring Peter." a pixie says, standing back from the sleeping girl.

"Already done." a merman announces from the door.

Peter is unconscious, being carried through the air by some sort of magic. He is laid down on the second stone table next to the girl. The King locks the door to the chamber. The merpeople form a circle around Peter, joined by Selene. The pixies form a circle around the princess, joined by Kellen. They take up the chant from the old spell book, and soon enough the room seems to shimmer with magic. The fire in the lanterns flares brightly, and the tapestries begin to sway in a nonexistent breeze. A very soft, golden light starts to emanate from Peter and the girl, and the fire in the lanterns blinks out. The council is left in darkness before the lanterns relight themselves and the room is returned to normal. The only new difference is the glow from the two unconscious bodies. The council steps back to admire their spell.

"It worked." Kellen says softly, seemingly in awe.

"And now, we wait." Selene replies.

"Her eighteenth birthday is in exactly three hours, and until then, we need to make sure that Aleksander is nowhere near her." Kellen orders.

The pixies have been organized into groups to patrol the palace and surrounding area for the wolves, and the merpeople have set about preparing Neverland's inhabitants for the shock of power that will greet them in three hours time. Meanwhile, the stone room is as silent as a tomb. The two lives inside are quiet, and that golden glow makes them both shimmer. Peter's skin is noticeably duller. His life is being given to the princess laying next to him. If the ritual were to go on for longer, he would be killed. This spell is designed to take the life of someone and give it to another, but in this instance, only a small amount of Peter's life is being given away.

The sun slowly sinks beneath the sea, illuminating the sails of the Jolly Roger as it leaves Neverland behind. The pixies and merpeople are on high alert, for with the night comes the wolves. There are four hours until midnight, then three, then two. No sound from the wolves. The stone room is designed to keep magic from leaving it, but will it be enough to contain the power of the transition? With one hour left, the council enters the room. The slow chant begins again, and the spell is broken. Peter awakens with a gasp. The princess doesn't open her eyes. Peter is helped out of the room with one last glance at the girl. She is alone. The merpeople return to their kingdom, the pixies' magic has worn off and left them in their true form. Peter sits just outside of the door, as close as the king and queen will allow, to wait for the stroke of midnight. With a half an hour left, a feeling of dread begins to gnaw at him. He feels different somehow, perhaps an aftereffect of the spell.

* * *

Currently afloat in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Captain Hook is laying on the deck of the Jolly Roger, gazing up at the second star to the right. She is there. He'll come back for her, if she survives. He can't help but think about watching her sleep in his cabin, back when she was injured, and wishing it could be like that every night. He hears footsteps creak across the deck as Henry joins him on the floor.

"Thinking about her?"

Hook sighs and closes his eyes, "That obvious, aye?"

Henry chuckles, "You're my son. I always know what you're thinking."

"I'll come back for her, once this is all over. Leave Pan in the dust. He'll be dealing with the effects of the spell anyways, if they decide to go through with it."

Henry sighs, "You could have warned them."

"Yes, I could have. But this is Pan we're talking about."

"So you've already chosen."

"Chosen what?"

"Well, you could have stopped them, but you didn't. Meaning that revenge means more to you than love."

Hook growls, "He deserves everything that's coming to him."

"How many times must I tell you? It was an accident, James. Yes, Luca suffered for it, but he was not a good person."

"Maybe so. But how many times must I tell _you_? He was my brother, and your son. And Pan killed him."

"But the difference between you and I is that I have forgiven him."

Hook is silent. Why is it that his father always knows how to make him doubt himself? Unbeknownst to the council, Hook had done a little research of his own after hearing about the Vita Auxilium spell from his sources. He learned that if the spell wasn't being used to kill the donor, as it was designed to do, that the person would be left without the life they had given away. Hook reveled in knowing Peter would be permanently weak, and he could finally get his revenge. He would kill Pan, and take Relia for himself.

Luca and Peter had been fighting over Tiger Lily, the beautiful Indian princess. Hook had never found her very attractive - she was quite bossy, in his opinion - but Luca and Peter fought for her. It lead to Luca's death, and Hook has yet to forgive Pan for murdering his twin brother over a girl. Hook knows that Luca probably fought dirty, he was a pirate for God's sake, but he was his brother all the same. That's why it's always a girl that Hook uses to bait Peter, because he knows that he can't resist. Bloody bastard.

His father pats his shoulder and stands, walking back to his room. Hook is alone once again, staring up at the night sky. Revenge? Or love?

Or both?

An idea hits him, then. The ultimate revenge. Not killing Pan, but making him wish he was dead. If he can turn Pan back to his old self, and comfort poor Relia as Peter changes personalities, he can steal her right from underneath his nose. It wouldn't be that hard to awaken that old part of Peter. Hook hauls himself to his feet and strides to the bell, which he has to ring several times before his crew appears through the various doors of the ship. They're grumbling about it being the middle of the night, but Hook is wide awake.

"Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails! Set course for Neverland!"

* * *

Peter is slumped against the wall outside of the room, trying in vain not to fall asleep. There are only ten minutes left until midnight, and Aleksander has been suspiciously quiet. Peter, on the other hand, can tell that something is seriously wrong with him. Perhaps it's just a part of the spell, but he feels as if a part of him is missing. His body is weak and shaky.

A freezing cold breeze brushes past his shoulder, causing him to flinch. It sweeps over his leg before traveling up the wall and extinguishing a lantern. Peter rubs his eyes. He's dreaming, that's it. A deep chuckle sounds through the hallway, but there is no one there.

"Hello?" Peter calls, pulling himself to his feet.

The cold wind wraps around his legs and slides over the floor.

"Did you miss me?"

The voice sounds very similar to Hook's, but it couldn't be his. He left for the Mainland. The cold scrapes down Peter's spine, giving him chills.

"Who's there?"

"Oh, you've forgotten me already? I never forgot a single one of my kills. And trust me, there were many."

Peter pales, fear constricting his chest. No. It couldn't be.

"It's only been twenty years, Pan. Come on, dig deep."

"Luca." Peter whispers.

"Ah! There we go! Good work. I was beginning to lose faith in you. So, it seems a lot has happened since I've been gone. A halfbreed! How exciting."

"You're not going to touch her." Peter growls.

"Poor Peter. You see, I've gotten considerably stronger since my untimely demise. I would say, if we were to fight again, you'd lose. After all, you so generously donated your life to that lost cause. You're weak."

"She is _not_ a lost cause." Peter says fiercely.

"Oh," Luca chuckles, "you love her, don't you? Such a shame. You're going to have to watch her die."

"No. She's not going to die. She's strong."

"Aleksander sealed her fate. Speaking of…"

A howl pierces the silence of the hallway. They're inside the palace, Peter can tell that much. Where are the pixies? Didn't they stop them?

"Werewolves," Luca laments, "so petty."

Aleksander strides around the corner in his trademark black outfit. His gold eyes are glinting with the look of someone who has won. Peter steps forward, prepared to fight.

Aleksander rolls his eyes, "I've already beaten you once, Pan. I'll do it again."

"You're not getting to her."

"There are only a few minutes left until this island becomes hit with raw magic. We don't even know what it's capabilities are, and I intend to find out."

"What are you going to do with it?"

"If I tell you, I would have to kill you. But I suppose that's going to happen anyways."

"Over my dead body." Peter says, taking out his dagger.

Aleksander chuckles, holding his hands up in mock surrender, "Oh, hush, Peter. Let me speak first. Aren't you just _dying_ to know what I'm going to do with raw, untainted magic?"

Peter is silent, and Aleksander continues.

"I'm going to capture it. I'm going to turn it dark. And, with the help of some well placed accomplices, we are going to take over Neverland."

"And who might your accomplices be?"

The wolf man tilts his head, contemplating his answer. He decides to tell Peter, he's going to die anyways.

"Just a certain mermaid queen, and a pirate, and… some others. Someone closer to you than you would think. That's a secret for later."

Aleksander chuckles, and takes a step towards Peter. Peter knows he isn't going to win, but he can at least hold him off until midnight. Aleksander growls deep in his throat, his fangs bared. Peter swallows and looks away. He's going to die.

"Come on, then. I'll let you hit first." Aleksander says.

Peter lunges forward, swiping his dagger through empty air as Aleksander steps to the right. With a swift kick, he takes Peter's legs out from underneath him. Peter falls to the floor with a thud.

"Oh, come on! You're weak, Pan. I expected more of a fight, considering you're protecting your life _and_ hers."

Peter brings himself up to his feet again, leaning against the wall. Aleksander closes the distance between them in one long stride, punching Peter in the stomach. He doubles over with a wheeze, crumpling to the ground again. His dagger clangs to the floor. He is trembling and tired, a feeling he can't seem to shake regardless of the amount of adrenaline coursing through his veins.

"This is pathetic! Give up yet?"

"Never." Peter growls, standing upright once more.

Aleksander chuckles, "Poor thing. I would give up, if I were you. This is only going to head downhill."

"Why don't you just kill me then?"

"You'll have to beg for it."

Anger is making Peter's vision blur. He would not go down without a fight. With a roar, he lunges at Aleksander once more. The werewolf steps to the side, allowing Peter to fall to the floor for a third time. This time, however, Aleksander straddles Peter's waist, prepared to bite his neck. He wants to watch this man suffer. Aleksander growls deep in his throat, his fangs bared. Peter swallows and looks away. He's going to die. A choking noise draws his attention back to Aleksander. His face is red, and his eyes are bulging. He's grasping desperately at his throat before he falls off of Peter to the floor. Just as quickly as it happened, the mysterious magic wears off. Aleksander lies on the floor, weak, trying very hard to catch his breath.

"Well, that was easier than I thought it would be." Luca's voice holds a new air of power.

"You did that?" Peter asks quietly, still shaking.

"Of course I did. That pathetic creature was, as they say, all bark and no bite." Luca chuckles.

This powerful wolf taken down in a matter of seconds. There's a new power here. Peter shakily rises to his feet, Aleksander's weak form beneath him.

"Go on," Luca's tantalizing whisper fills Peter's ears, "kill him. He's going to kill her if you don't. Your dagger is just over there. All it will take is one, well-placed stab."

"No." Peter murmurs.

"Come on, Pan. You used to be so much more threatening! Where's the Pan that took my first life? Where's the Pan that fought to the death and then went further than that! I miss that part of you. That was the intriguing Peter Pan."

Peter's fingers are itching to grab that dagger back. But doing that would make him go back to his old self. The self he would spit on if he could. Relia wouldn't want him to. No. _No_. He can't. Aleksander is slowly pushing himself back to his feet, and he's furious.

"Don't waste what I've given you, Pan. I've weakened him for you. Are you really going to miss the chance to kill one of your worst enemies?"

Peter's gaze flickers back to the dagger, the itch in his hands intensifying. He wants to plunge that dagger into Aleksander's chest again and again. His chest begins to ache with longing, the same feeling he got before every kill. He wants that warm blood on his hands again. He wants to gaze into the eyes of his kill, and watch the life drain away. His eyes darken. His fingers twitch.

"Go on, Pan. Finish him."

Aleksander lunges forward with a snarl, and in a flash Peter stretches his hand out to the dagger beside him, jamming it into Aleksander's side. He howls in pain, and Peter yanks the dagger out of his ribcage, prepared to strike again. Aleksander falls, clutching his side as blood pools on the floor. That was a death blow in itself, but Peter wasn't finished.

"You'll regret this. You know what killing does to you!" Aleksander protests as Peter stalks closer.

"Do you want to go back to your old self? Do you want to lose Relia?"

Peter lets out a menacing chuckle, "Oh, wolf man. You're the one that has lost Relia."

With that, he leaps on top of the man and plunges the dagger into his chest. Aleksander's eyes stretch as wide as a full moon. He claws feebly at the dagger in his chest, but it's too late. His eyes glaze over, and he falls back to the floor. He's dead. Peter is trembling as the scent of blood overpowers his senses. He feels strong, and powerful, a feeling he hasn't felt in a long time. He climbs off of Aleksander, staring at the blood covering his fingertips.

"There's a good boy. Don't worry, Peter. I'll be back for you eventually." Luca murmurs.

A powerful gust of chilled wind almost blows Peter off his feet. Luca is gone. Peter turns his attention to the locked door. She's behind it. He did this for her. And he would do it again. The chime of the palace's clock reverberates through his chest.

_ONE_.

_TWO_.

_THREE_.

A soft golden glow begins to seep from the cracks in the door, growing brighter by the second. Peter turns his face away from the blinding light to spy none other than Hook running down the hallway towards him. The pirate steps over the dead man with barely a pause. Does the pirate know his brother is alive? Peter's bloody fingers clench into fists.

_FOUR_.

_FIVE_.

_SIX_.

The air hums with magic. Peter can feel it caressing his arms, winding through his legs, and tangling his hair. His fingers and toes begin to go numb and tingly.

"What are you doing here?" he shouts over the growing roar.

"I'm here to claim my prize!" Hook calls back, coming to a stop beside him.

_SEVEN_.

_EIGHT_.

_NINE_.

"Your prize?" Peter asks indignantly.

Hook flashes a charming grin at him. The air around them is charged with electricity. The light from behind the door is so bright it hurts. Hook and Peter turn away, for a moment forgetting they are mortal enemies. Fear begins to blossom in Peter's chest.

_TEN_.

_ELEVEN_.

_TWELVE_.

The door is blown off of its hinges and into the two men. The golden glow blasts through the palace, stopping for nothing. The whole island seems to shake. The magic seeps into every crevice, touching everything with light. The supernova carries with it a sound as loud as an explosion. Ships in the harbor are capsized, the village turned upside down. The trees bend, the water swirls, and the very bones of Neverland creak. Time seems to stop or fly, it's hard to tell. And at the eye of the hurricane? A girl. A girl who has made a choice.


End file.
